All About You :
by Nicosia-Oceania-Cyprus
Summary: Moving to a new place might suck; as Anthea Stewart once thought until she meets a whacky group of guys. She has to decide who she really likes and see who she's infatuated with. But of course, they will all go through a LOT.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 (First Day)

A sunny morning greeted me as I walked down the streets. The sky was a clear spotless blue, a perfect weather. The wind was a bit chilly as a small gust silently whipped my cheeks. The dead leaves of trees blew past me in gentle movements;  
a seemingly perfect morning for any regular person, except for me.

Today was the day that I had been dreading about for the past summer. Today was my first day at my new school.

"Perfect? How can this day be perfect?", I muttered to myself as my feet dragged on. "I can't believe I'm transferring."

The thing is, I never expected this transfer. It came out of the blue. My parents are doctors, so they were asked by my sickly aunt if they could move to California. That way, my aunt could have frequent check-ups with them. She only trusts my parents, and she's actually pretty healthy to me. She's just really paranoid and feels like death is just a few minutes away. That's why, I, being my parents' child and therefore have nowhere else to go, had to transfer as well.

"Well, there's nothing else I can do. Better be positive", I finally said, forcing myself to grin a bit.

I'm not that upset really. I understand my aunt's condition, and I can't blame her. She is family after all. She once said that she'd rather stick her head in the toilet bowl than have other doctors examine her.

So what's my problem? I don't like being the new kid. The thought terrifies me. I don't know what my classmates, teachers and new school are like. Isn't that enough to make anyone scared?

I continued to walk down the street, passing by houses of all colors. I saw a yellow one and made a face. I never did like yellow. After a few minutes, a big, old, red building came into view. I looked up to the gates and saw the sign "Orangeberry Academy."

Honestly, of all the names to give to a school, why 'Orangeberry'?

I grinned at the sign, thinking of how funny it was. I began walking again and I finally got inside.

"Time to brace yourself", I said to myself as the bell rang and students suddenly started to go their classes.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2 (**My Tour Guide)

"How can you get lost on your first day?"

This thought was running all over my mind for the past few minutes. I looked at the classrooms that came into my view. There was absolutely no Chemistry classroom. I stared at my schedule again. I couldn't believe I was lost. My first period's Chemistry, and the Chemistry classroom was nowhere to be found.

The hallway was clear no, I was the only student roaming around. I sighed. I finally decided to ask the nurse where my classroom was. I had passed by the nurse's office just a few minutes ago. I'm definitely sure I could find it.

I finally reached the office. I placed my hand on the doorknob and twisted it. An overwhelming aroma filled my nose as I got in. Now I wasn't really sure that this was the nurse's office. The walls were painted black, quite a depressing shade. How on earth was someone supposed to feel better in a place like this?

My eyes scanned the right side of the office where a few paintings hung. One depicted of an ancient village, one showed sacred rituals and another showed a jar that contained countless spirits. Could things get any creepier?

The nurse's desk was empty; a few folders were piled on top of it. That was probably the only normal thing in the room. I walked around, looking for the nurse.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I called but only silence was the answer I received.

Suddenly, the door creaked open and I squealed. I whirled around and saw a boy opening the door.

He had short brown hair, with bangs in front of his forehead. He had a nicely built body, and he stood about nearly 6 feet tall. He was fixing his blue shirt a bit. His blue eyes stared at me for a while.

"Hey. Are you lost or something?" he asked me with a British accent.

It took me a while to answer. I was still freaked out by the office.

"Um… Yeah. I wanted to ask the nurse where the Chemistry classroom is, but I guess she's not around", I replied and then scanned the office one more time.

"Oh. You're a newbie? I guess that figures. The nurse is out doing this crazy ritual… you'll understand once you meet her", he explained to me as I stared at the office. That figures all the weirdness going around.

"Hm… Wait a minute", he said as he dug his hands into his pockets. He pulled out a folded piece of paper and began reading its contents.

"I guess it's your lucky day. My first period's Chemistry as well. Why don't you come with me?" he offered, a huge grin on his face.

"Oh. Thanks a lot!", I said while giving out a huge sigh. I was so relieved. No more roaming around like an idiot.

He chuckled and opened the door for me. I thanked him, pretty much surprised by the gesture. Boys who had manners like this are so hard to find.

We headed out for the Chemistry classroom, chatting along the way. I asked him why he was in the nurse's office. He explained that he had a splinter, so he had to have it taken out.

"Is it alright if it stays on your finger?" I asked and then held up his finger for me to see. But there was no splinter on it.

"Wait a sec! Where's the splinter?" I asked him, searching for the missing splinter.

"Oh. I took it out already", he chuckled.

"With what?"

"This needle", he replied, holding up a thin needle. "I grabbed this while we were still in the office. So I took the liberty to take it out already."

"But I didn't see you do it".

"That's because you were busy looking at the classrooms at the sides."

"Oh."

We continued to walk and we finally reached the classroom with the name "Chemistry" on the door. He checked his watch.

"Good. We're early. In fact, five minutes early', he said with a grin.

"That's a relief. I thought we were late." I said. I finally began to smile; thank God this boy came by. But wait, what's his name?

As if he knew what I was thinking, he suddenly spoke "I'm Danny by the way. Danny Jones", he stretched out his hand as he introduced himself.

I shook it and replied "Hi. I'm Anthea. Nice to meet you," We smiled at each other.

"Shall we come in?" he asked.

"Yes. We'd better get going" I replied, grinning.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3 (Class Time)**

Danny was right. We were early.

I thought we were late. After all, I thought I wandered around for an hour.

The classroom was filled with students. Some were strumming a guitar, others were chatting with their friends.

Danny offered to be my seatmate for the day because I was still unfamiliar with everyone else. I was so grateful to have him around.

I think I'm really going to like him, I smiled to myself. Finally, the bell rung and our Chemistry teacher walked in. He was tall and had pale skin. His chestnut brown hair was parted along his face. He had light blue eyes and smiled warmly.

"Good morning class", he said, flashing his white teeth.

"Good morning Sir Wellington", the class chirped.

"Well, before we start, I believe we have a new student in class", he announced, looking at me. All heads turned around to get a good look at me.

Upon instinct, I stood up and looked at Danny, panic spreading across my face. I wasn't exactly good at these things. I want to get out of this room. Now.

Danny just gave me an encouraging smile. "Go on. Don't be nervous. No one's going to bite you."

I gave out a huge sigh and walked to the front. My hands were getting cold and I felt like my stomach was turning to jelly. It took me a few seconds to get a grip on myself. I was finally in front, with thirty pairs of eyes looking at me. The atmosphere wasn't really that scary. Everyone seemed to be paying attention. I saw most of them smiling at me encouragingly like Danny. That managed to calm me down a bit.

"Hi everyone. I'm Anthea Stewart and I'm a first-timer here. I'm looking forward to this school year, and I'm hoping I'll have a wicked time,"I said, without even stuttering. My classmates grinned and nodded at me as I proceeded to go back to my seat.

"Good job", Danny congratulated me.

"Thanks", I whispered back.

Sir Wellington came up front again. "Well, good going. Now let's proceed to our lesson".

Chemistry class went by quickly. It was only about the background of the subject. Nothing major at the moment. The other classes were the same, we only discussed a few concepts. In fact, we didn't even have homework.

The bell finally rang, much to my surprise. I felt like I just entered the classroom.

"Well, since you don't know anyone yet besides me, I say we should have lunch together with my mates", Danny told me as we stood up from our seats.

"Sure. I haven't got anywhere else to go to" I replied.

We headed out for the cafeteria. The scent of spaghetti, chicken, pizza and broccoli filled my nose. I started to feel hungry. Danny described to me what my classmates were like. All in all, they seemed like a nice bunch.

We finally ordered our food. Danny was surprised when I asked for more broccoli to go with my chicken. It turns out he never did like broccoli. I chuckled at the thought.

We sat down at a table at the back. We put down our trays on the table and finally sat down.

"So, where are your mates?" I asked him as I popped a broccoli into my mouth.

He made a face as he saw me eat it.

"What? It's healthy", I said.

"I never did like the stuff", he made a sour face but then grinned.

"Woah. My mates are here. Harry! Dougie! Tom!" he called.

All of a sudden, probably all the females turned around to look at the entrance door as three, tall, handsome boys entered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 (Crush)**

I looked at the face of each boy that entered. One had long blonde hair reaching below his ears. He had adorable brown eyes and a dimple on his face appeared as he smiled. One also had blonde hair with a spike at the back. He had this charming aura about him, not to mention he was really handsome.

The third guy knocked me off my feet. He had short brown hair and his blue eyes were of an enchanting shade. When he smiled, his eyes looked absolutely wonderful.

I felt my heart skip a beat, and I began to feel nervous.

They finally reached our table; all female eyes were still staring intently at them. I could even swear that I saw one girl staring at them without even blinking.

They all grinned at me as they sat down. I grinned back, giving my warmest smile to the handsome brown-haired guy.

"Danny! You have a new friend!" the guy with the dimple smiled at me. He was extremely cute.

"I'm Tom by the way", he said.

The one with the spike at the back of his head then followed. 'I'm Dougie".

"Nice to meet you", I replied.

"And I'm Harry", the handsome brown-haired guy said. I could feel my cheeks burning as he spoke.

"Well, now you've met all my mates", Danny grinned at me.

"Oh. What's your name by the way?" Harry asked me.

It took all of my courage to answer him. I was even afraid that my voice would crack.

"Oh. I'm Anthea. Anthea Stewart", I replied.

"That's a pretty name", Tom said sweetly, his dimple was flashing once more.

"Thanks", I said.

We ate our lunch, chatting as we took bites. Whenever Harry smiled at me, I could feel my heart skip a beat. Darn it! Why did he have to be so cute? Tom seemed to be the best-behaved. You could really feel like he was a true gentleman. Dougie loved cracking jokes, and he seemed like a really cool guy. Danny was absolutely lovable, he was the friendliest. Good old Danny.

I really felt comfortable, even though I was surrounded by these guys. I felt like I could be myself with them. I guess this transfer had something good in store after all.

After finishing our lunch, we all rose up. All of a sudden, I tripped. I thought I was going to fall, but a strong pair of arms hugged me before I could crash to the floor. I stared at the one who saved me.

Oh. My. Gosh. It was Harry. Of all the people out here, why oh why did it have to be Harry?

My cheeks began to burn. His arms were gentle as they wrapped around me, and he had a strongly-built body. I didn't want this to end… yet.

"Hey. Slow down. You could hurt yourself", he said and laughed. Gosh his voice was like sweet music. He finally released me after making sure I wasn't hurt in any way.

We finally had to part. Tom, Harry, and Dougie waved goodbye to me and Danny. We waved back and proceeded to our English class.

"So. Er… Were my mates okay to you?" Danny asked me as we walked along the hallway.

"Yeah. They're the best really! I could totally be myself with them", I replied enthusiastically.

"Aw… That's good. Hey, do you like Harry or something?" he suddenly asked.

I stopped walking. I smiled nervously. I tried to look cool. I shook my head violently. Okaay. That is so not acting cool.

"N-No. Whatever makes you say that?" I asked and gave out a nervous laugh.

"Oh. You don't really have to be a genius to figure that out. I saw you staring at him. Plus, you were blushing."

"I was not!"

"You are now."

I stopped and gave Danny a light nudge on the shoulder. He chuckled.

"Aw… It's quite natural to have a crush you know", he grinned.

"I haven't got a chance with him", I finally admitted.

"Well, let's see. I'll help you, you know", he replied.

Upon hearing this, I was so ecstatic. Can Danny be any nicer? I jumped and hugged him really tightly. I felt like I could never let him go.

"Okay… You're… Cutting… Off… My… Air… Supply…" he choked out.

"Oh", I said and let go of him. He took in a deep breath. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm just so grateful. Thanks a lot Danny! You're so sweet!".

By the time I said 'sweet' he started to turn a bit red.

"Nah. It's nothing, really", he answered with his cute British accent.

"Let's get going then. We might be late", I said and we walked to class.

All afternoon, I probably daydreamed about Harry. I can't believe I doodled his name all over a whole page of my notebook. Well, I can't deny that I'm going crazy after him. And besides, who wouldn't?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 (Evangeline)**

The week went by quickly, and soon it was the weekend. I've managed to make friends with all of my classmates. They were all really nice. There was this really cool guy named Jeff who was the son a fashion designer. Then there was this blonde girl called Andrea who had a really lively personality. They were all really cool. I just learned that my school was a really expensive one and lots of rich kids attended it.

However, I can't get close top one girl. Her name's Evangeline. She is extraordinarily pretty with long, curly red hair reaching nearly to her hips. She had green, almond-shaped eyes, a nicely-shaped nose and beautiful, full lips.

The problem is, she's too quiet. No one can really get close to her. She seems so… indifferent. It's like she doesn't care about what's happening around the world. Plus, she seems to be a bit dazed at times.

Anyway, she's not my problem for now. My problem at the moment is my grocery list. My parents are busy most of the time, so I usually do the grocery. It's not a problem really; I understand how much load they get from work. Besides, I could probably bump into Harry.

I walked down one aisle at a local grocery store. I looked at the contents of my basket: eggs, pancake mix, syrup, and bacon. And as always, broccoli. I crossed out these things on my list. I checked what items were left.

"Okay. So that leaves me with orange, apple and ketchup", I said as I checked my list. I looked around for the fruit section. I finally found it and got what I needed. I crossed those out on my list. One more to go.

As I was looking around for ketchup, I spotted Evangeline looking at spices. As always, she looked gorgeous even in a tee and pants. In carefully studied her face, she seems dazed again. She closed her eyes for a bit, then opened them again. She looked at me, panic spreading across her face.

"Get out now!" she shouted.

I flinched. "Oh. Sorry". She must've noticed I've been staring at her. I walked away slowly, pretending that nothing happened.

Suddenly, she ran towards me and pushed me. I nearly dropped my basket. I was so surprised. First she barely interacts with people, and now she actually pushes them?

"Hey! What's wrong with you?" I demanded, outraged. I was fuming, but she looked so calm and even relieved.

"Ssh. Wait a minute", she replied calmly.

All of a sudden, the shelf that I was standing next to began to wobble. I watched in disbelief as it finally toppled down, its contents scattering around the place. I can't believe I could've been crushed under that if Evangeline hadn't saved me. Wait a minute. How did she know that I was about to be flattened like a pancake?

"Clean up on aisle 3", a voice came from the speaker.

I was staring at Evangeline, but she would only smile back at me. This shocked me even more. She can actually smile?

"Um… Thanks", I told her, smiling.

She shrugged "It's no problem really". Then she grinned, flashing pearly-white teeth.

I was even more dumb-founded now. She can actually see the future? Well, that did seem the obvious explanation. I was about to ask her more questions when my cell phone rang in my pocket. I took it out and saw a message from my mom, telling me to go home already.

I was done anyway, so I could leave now. "I have to go. Thanks a lot. I guess… er… We could hang out sometime. You're not that bad really", I told her, a warm smile on my face.

Upon saying this, her face began to brighten and she flashed back a smile that was equally warm.

"Thanks. I'm glad at least someone doesn't find me weird."

"You're not weird, honestly."

We waved each other goodbye and I proceeded to pay for my grocery at the counter. I checked my basket once again. Uh-oh. It seems that I've forgotten the ketchup. Oh well, I'll buy it next time.

As if by magic, a hand shot out of nowhere holding a bottle of ketchup. I whirled around and saw Evangeline.

"What? Now you can read my mind?" I chuckled.

"Nah. Simple logic. You dropped this note. Plus, you didn't cross out the ketchup. So I figured you forgot this after the incident", she simply replied. "Well, I'd better get going now. Bye", she said and waved me goodbye as she walked out of the store.

Woah. Evangeline is officially cool to me now. She's not that bad after all.

After paying, I arrived home. It was pretty quick. The wind wasn't so cold today when I walked down the streets. So I felt much better.

I reached home and opened the door. My baby brother Kristoph greeted me as I arrived. I patted his forehead and set down the groceries. My grocery list silently fell to the floor. Kristoph picked it up.

"Wait. I thought this was only a grocery list", he said with a puzzled tone.

"It is", I replied with much surprise. He gave me the list, and I found out that he was not lying. On the back, a tiny scrawl appeared:

"What you are chasing is not what you really want. Be open to other choices",

It's like what you get in fortune cookies, deep and I can't understand.

"Evangeline", I muttered and smiled. She's so mysterious. I decided to keep the note, not knowing that this would prove to be true later on.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6 (Soccer)**

"That's right. Just kick it".

I kicked the ball to the right and it managed to go inside the goal. I wiped off the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. It was pretty hot today.

We had physical education this afternoon, and we were going to tackle soccer. We went to the soccer field, which was pretty near to another nurse's office. This puzzled me. That's weird. Why two nurse offices? Oh well. The school is rich, so it really could afford another one.

"Hey Jess. Why are there two nurse's offices?" I asked my classmate Jessica, throwing the ball to her after retrieving it from the goal.

"Oof." She exclaimed, knocking the ball with her head. "Ah. Well, aside from being a rich school, the other office is to far away from here. Plus, it would be pretty convenient if we had one here. A lot of accidents happen here".

Oh okay. That made perfect sense.

We finally took a break after the kicking the ball back and forth. We sat on the benches and I drank my bottle of water. I finished mine in fifteen seconds. I watched the other players on the field. I saw one girl who looked absolutely terrified to kick the ball. I smiled. Well, that happens to a lot of people.

"Hey Stewart!" a voice called.

I looked to my far right and saw Danny. He was holding a ball and grinning at me. I waved at him.

"Hey! Wanna have a match against me?" he shouted.

I got off the bench and jogged towards him. I nodded, accepting the challenge.

"Good. First one to score wins" he explained, holding the ball in his hands.

"What if you lose?" I asked.

"I'll treat you to a sundae"

"All right. You're going down".

He kicked the ball first, effortlessly controlling it with his feet. Dang he was good. I tried to watch for signs as to where he would kick it. This felt a little intense. He suddenly feinted to the left, but quickly ran to the right. I was already heading towards the left when he ran. I sprinted after him. No way was I going to lose.

He was very near the goal now. No! I can't let this happen. What about my sundae?

I ran and slid towards his direction, knocking the ball off. Suddenly, my feet twisted against the ground and pain began to blossom in my legs.

"Ow!" I yelped as I held my feet while sitting down. I felt like me muscles were being tied together.

Danny ran towards me, he looked very concerned. "Anthea, you okay? Look, I'm really sorry", he apologized as he bent over me. I nearly laughed. Why should he be sorry? It's my fault.

"Aw. You don't need to apologize for anything Danny", I smiled even though my legs were in pain. "It's my fault. Besides, I think I just need ice. You can get some from the clinic there". I pointed towards the nearby clinic.

He nodded and was about to walk away when two of our classmates appeared. My expression turned sour as I saw who they were. Oh no. It was the famous snogging duo: Ralph and Lauren.

"Hey, soccer didn't go too well?" Ralph asked.

I gulped. No girl was safe when she's alone with these two. I started to panic; I was never comfortable around these flirts. They could get too perverted at times.

I saw Lauren eyeing me. "Well, what're you waiting for Danny? Go get some ice. She'll be fine with us". Then he looked at Ralph, smiling sinisterly. This was not a good sign. Okay. First of all, if Danny leaves, I'm gonna kick these two if they come near me.

"I'll be fine Danny. Just be quick", I told him. Maybe if he did hurry, these two won't do anything with me. I just have to brace myself for whatever's going to happen.

"Wait. I'll just carry you instead", Danny suddenly said. Ralph, Lauren and I stared at him in disbelief. Was he really serious?

"Danny, I'm okay. You don't really need to do that", I replied. I can't just be a burden to him. Plus, I might be too heavy for him.

"Yeah. Leave her here Danny-o", Ralph said.

"Nah. I can do it. Come on Anthea", Danny said and began carrying me slowly on his back. I was totally shocked. Why would Danny do this? In any case, this was so sweet.

"Isn't she heavy?" Lauren asked him.

"Pfft. Even a chicken could carry her", he quickly replied and began walking towards the clinic, carefully carrying me.

I saw Jessica looking shocked as she saw us. I grinned at her. She began making a heart shape using her hands. I only laughed.

"Danny, that was so nice. Thanks a lot", I told him as he was carrying me towards the clinic.

"Nah. It's okay Anthea. I know those two. They're always up to no good. I couldn't just leave you there", he replied.

"Really, thanks. I owe you one".

We finally arrived inside the clinic. At least this one was normal. There were the blue-painted walls, some posters about the proper diet and the table of the nurse. Now this is a regular clinic. When we arrived, Danny set me down on one chair. The nurse appeared and looked at me.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked me as she bent down to observe me.

"Well, I think I twisted my foot. I just need some ice", I answered.

"Wait for a bit. I'll get the ice".

We waited for her. She arrived after a few minutes carrying the pack of ice. "Here. You, pat this on her foot. Is it alright if you do it? I need to go in a few minutes because of a meeting", she said as she handed the pack of ice to Danny.

"Oh okay", he replied and was about to pat the pack of ice on my foot when he stopped. "Wait. Here, right?". He looked so hesitant.

I nodded. "Yup. It hurts there".

The nurse suddenly laughed so hard. "Oh my. For a boyfriend, you sure are weird. Don't worry. She's your girlfriend, right? I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Oh well. I have to go. Good bye", she said, getting her bag from the table and leaving.

Danny looked like he didn't know what to do, and he was turning red. And that nurse, she thought we were a couple.

"Danny. Don't worry, I won't mind." I assured him.

"You sure?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm positive. Go on."

He finally agreed to do it and began patting the ice gently on my foot. I began to feel better. That was really sweet. He was so concerned if I minded him touching me. He's really a gentleman. The pain subsided after a few minutes. Danny would probably never have stopped if I hadn't really insisted that I was okay already. He really seemed so concerned.

"Thanks Danny. The pain's gone now. Um... The nurse was pretty freaky", I said to him as he finished patting the ice on my foot.

He nodded. Gosh he was still red. "Yeah. Well, I'm glad you're fine now."

"By the way, I win".

"What? How? No way."

"Way. Look at the goal".

He looked outside and was surprised to see the ball inside the goal. He shook his head and smiled.

"Okay. I lose. Wait. How'd you do that? The ball still wasn't in when you knocked it off my feet", he asked me.

"Well, when you turned your back for a bit, I kicked it with my good leg. It was pretty near to the goal. So I took my chance. Hey, you said the first one to score. Technically, it was inside the goal", I replied, grinning at him.

"Oh alright. I'll treat you", he gave in and grinned.

"Thanks".

His smile became even wider. For the first time, I saw that he had a really beautiful set of straight teeth. Not a single flaw was on each tooth. It looked positively… dreamy really.

"Wow Danny, you've really got a great set of teeth. Seriously", I remarked.

He turned redder now and smiled humbly. "Ah thanks. I had braces when I was young. So I guess that's why".

"Oh okay. What's that?" I said, pointing to a weird insect on the wall. I've never seen anything like it before.

Danny was about to answer me when he stared at my pointer finger. "Um… Hold still for a while, okay?" he said and held my pointer finger. What the heck was he doing?

My eyes began to widen as he pulled something thin and silver from his pocket. I stared at it, and realized that it was a needle. What exactly is he going to do with that?

"Danny… Just what do you think you're going to do with that?" I asked him slowly.

"What? You haven't noticed?" he asked back with a puzzled tone.

"Noticed what?"

"The splinter on your finger."

I gave him a puzzled look and examined my finger. I gasped. Oh my gosh. There really was a splinter. I can't believe I never noticed it before.

"Anyway, hold still", he said and held my finger, beginning to put the needle closer to it. I gulped nervously.

I wasn't going to let that happen. Sharp things and I definitely do not go together.

"Hold it just a sec!! Stop!!" I protested loudly. No way was that needle going near my finger.

He fell silent and began to laugh so loudly. I can't believe it, here I was trembling at needle, and he just erupts into loud fits of laughter.

"Sorry. You are too funny! Now turn your head in the other direction and don't look at what I'm doing" he chuckled and began to insert the needle on my finger.

"OH MY FREAKIN'---!!!!" I screamed and he suddenly pinched my left ear gently. I immediately began to calm down. That's weird, how did he know that pinching my left ear gently calmed me down?

"Feeling better?" he asked with a gentle smile on his face.

"Yeah. Danny, how did you know that pinching my left ear calms me down?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I've seen you do that always. I noticed it totally calmed you down. You did it once during a Chemistry quiz, and you were so nervous before the quiz. I decided to try it".

"Whoa, Danny. I didn't know you were that observant".

"Well, it's not really hard. Anyone would've noticed. You're way too restless. It's like you've got this crazy twitch or something", he jokingly replied and began to do a twitch.

"Whatever" I laughed and gave him a light punch. He grinned back and pulled out the needle again.

I sighed and gave him the puppy-dog eyes. It didn't work though, because he only shook his head.

"Come on. Trust me", he said, and I saw that he meant it. I shrugged and gave in.

"Fine. Be gentle", I told him and turned my head away. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the pain to come.

"It's gone now", he suddenly said after a few minutes.

I slowly opened my eyes. "For real?"

"Yeah. See for yourself."

I looked at my finger. There was nothing in it anymore. That was fast, and shockingly painless.

"I'm good, aren't I?" he said smugly and chuckled.

"I have to admit, you are. I didn't feel a thing", I replied and examined my finger again. I can't believe there was no pain.

We chatted a bit more. Even though my leg was better, we didn't go back to physical education class anymore. We talked the whole afternoon. Being with Danny was way better than any class. After twenty minutes, we decided home.

Class was over, so we walked home together. We talked again all the way. I can't believe that a girl could get so talkative with a boy, until I met Danny. In fact, he was talkative too.

I waved him goodbye when I got to my house. He smiled and walked away. I went inside the house and hugged my parents when I saw them. After that, I went upstairs and lay down on my bed. I couldn't help but chuckle every time I saw my finger.

But I stopped laughing when I saw a spider on the ceiling of my room. I grabbed a broom in my room.

Okay. Needles are okay now but spiders need to go.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 (SHOPPING)

"Which color? Blue or violet?" Jessica asked me while holding up two tees of different colors but of the same design. The tees were pretty cute already because of the design, the only problem now was the color.

I closely examined the two tees. Violet definitely complimented her better.

"Violet", I replied and she began holding up the violet tee in front of her as she faced the mirror. She smiled, pleased with my choice.

"Great choice! I'm so glad I asked you to shop with me", she exclaimed very happily.

I smiled back at her.

It actually feels nice to go shopping all day. After all, I've been hanging out with Danny and the guys all week. I kind of missed a little girl company. That's why when Jessica asked me to go shopping with her during the weekend, I immediately said yes. It feels great to be with a girl after being surrounded by guys for a week. It's kind of like the feeling after a nice shower. It's very refreshing.

"So, how does it feel like to hang out with the popular four?" she asked while scanning another rack full of clothes.

"Popular four?" I snorted. I never thought that Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry were extremely popular at school and with ladies. For me, they were just my regular goofy friends whom I sit with during lunch.

Well, except for Harry. He had a really special place in my heart.

"They are popular, and you can't deny that. All the girls practically have a crush on one of them even those with boyfriends. And besides, they are pretty cool and good-looking" she laughed as she pulled out a cute polka dot dress from the rack.

"Hm… I kinda like this", she said.

"Well, let's see the size", I suggested.

She searched the inside of the dress for any indication of its size. She frowned when she saw it. She put it back on the rack.

"Nah. Two sizes bigger", she said.

"Aw… Too bad", I said. "So, have you had a crush on any of the 'popular four'?"

"Yes. I actually had a really huge crush on Danny last year".

When I heard her answer, I laughed out loud. It took a lot of effort for me to lower down my laughter.

"Really? You liked Danny?" I asked, wiping off tears from my eyes.

She turned red and smiled. "What? He's cute, charming and handsome. I can't believe you're not falling for him".

"We're just friends".

"And his voice, gosh, he's got a really gorgeous voice!"

I was surprised with this. "What? Danny sings?"

"Of course. You never knew? You should hear him sing. He's really good. Tom and Dougie have great voices too."

I have been spending my lunchtime with these practically everyday, and they never told me that they could sing well?

"Wait. What does Harry do?" I inquired.

She sat down on a beanbag near me. She seemed exhausted from choosing clothes. "Harry doesn't usually sing, I hear he's good though. But one thing's for sure, he's a great drummer."

Wow! Harry's a drummer. I think my legs were turning to jelly. Harry continues to amaze me.

So far, he hasn't noticed that I have a crush on him. Danny's been giving me tips, but I always screw it. Like one time, Danny told me the name of Harry's favorite soccer team. Unfortunately, I forgot the team's exact name and bought a poster of a team with a name close to what Danny told me. I wrote on the back "From a girl whose legs turn to jelly when she sees you".

It should've been perfect. It was a great plan. After all, Danny came up with it.

It was a disaster, and it turns out that the poster that I gave him was the team that he hated the most. What's worst, this team cheated on his favorite team just last week. He was fuming when that happened. He was horrified when he saw the poster.

We were at the hallway at school, and I was anxious for his reaction. Danny, Dougie and Tom were with me.

"Do you see this?? Ugh. It's disgusting. Sorry, but I just hate this team so much" complained while showing us the poster. I only gulped. Uh-oh. Danny looked surprised too.

"Ooh. Bad move." Dougie said.

"Yeah. Even I wouldn't give you that. Even if it was for a prank", Tom added.

Oops. So it was that bad?

"You chose the wrong team?" Danny mouthed to me. I smiled apologetically and he just smiled back as well.

"From a girl whose legs turn to jelly when she sees you", Harry began to read on the back of it "I wouldn't mind turning her legs to jelly with my fist".

Like I said, a total disaster.

Jessica finally finished paying for the tee after we headed out for the counter. She thanked me again once we got out of the store.

We decided to roam around the mall for a while. After all, there was nothing left to do.

As we walked, I suddenly heard the sound of pants ripping. I stopped to look at my pants, no rip here. Where did it come from?

Jessica suddenly placed the plastic bag that she was carrying behind her butt. It's as if she was hiding something. She suddenly looked panicked.

"Oh no! My pants ripped!" she told me in a panicked tone.

"Oh my gosh Jess! Wait, there's a clothes store near here. Ah. There!" I replied and pointed to a store near us. She nodded and we proceeded to the store.

I really liked the store when we entered. There were a lot of cool designs, and the walls were painted with cool images as well. Everything was so hip. I saw one shirt that said "Actions speak louder than blogs". I laughed. I could stay in a store like this forever.

Jessica quickly rummaged through the rack of pants and pulled out one pair that fir her. She began to go inside the changing room. This could take a while, she changes way too long. I began looking at more shirts inside the store.

The door at the back of the counter opened, and I was shocked to see the person coming from it.

"Are these designs okay?" the guy asked the one handling the counter.

It was unmistakably… Harry.

The one managing the counter examined each paper that Harry handed to him. He smiled at each design.

"Great work Harry. I'll double your salary this week." He exclaimed as he gave back the designs to Harry.

Harry looked absolutely pleased. "Thanks!"

Aw… He looked so cute. Maybe I could sneak up on him and suddenly greet him or something. He suddenly looked in my direction.

"Hey Anthea!" he grinned widely at me.

Drat. There goes my plan. Oh well.

"Hey Harry. What're you doing here?" I asked him as I walked towards him. Is it really hot, or is it just me? I could feel my heart skip a beat again. My hands were shaking. 'Don't look so nervous.' I reminded myself.

"I have a part-time job here. I work on the designs" he replied enthusiastically.

He seemed so pleased to see me. Well, if he was pleased, I was screeching inside.

"Can I see your designs?" I asked him.

He smiled shyly. "Well, you see, I'm shy to showcase them to anyone besides my boss".

"Aw… Don't be ashamed. What's the use of sheer talent if you can't show it to the world?" I told him and gave him a warm smile.

He thought about it, and finally agreed. "Okay. If you say so". He handed me the designs.

I looked at the designs. I had to admit, they were seriously good! How could he have been hiding these from me?

"Harry! These are the best designs ever! I'd totally buy shirts like these", I exclaimed as I handed back the designs to him.

Harry could only blush. 'Oh my gosh! I made him blush!' I happily thought to myself.

"Aw… Thanks. You're really sweet Anthea. Plus, you're pretty hyper. It's cute. I really like you", he smiled at me.

'I really like you', these words kept on echoing in my thoughts. I thought I would faint.

"You're like the little sister that I never had", he added happily.

Wait a minute. Little sister? That can't be! How could we ever get together if he only saw me as a little sister?

I decided to laugh instead. "Suure. And you're the clumsy older brother that I never had", I joked. I was laughing on the outside, but deep inside, I wanted to cry like a fountain. Well, Harry was clumsy. It's like he trips on his shoelaces every day.

"Very funny. Yeah, I am pretty clumsy though", he replied, laughing as well.

"Harry!! What's that on your shoe?!?"

"What?!?"

"Oh my gosh!!!!"

He began to panic and look frantically at his shoe. I suddenly erupted into laughter. I was just joshing him. His expression was so funny!

"Gotcha" I said, still laughing.

Instead of making a witty remark or sticking out his tongue, he smiled and began to laugh as well. "Anthea! You're too cute!" he exclaimed and hugged me all of a sudden.

Gosh! Why did he have to hug me? Now I really can't sleep tonight because of what he did. My cheeks were burning again. I didn't want him to let me go.

"Anthea! I'm done!" a voice called from the changing room. Harry let go of me and grinned. I grinned back. Jessica sure did take her time changing. I'm pretty grateful this time though. At least I was alone with Harry for quite a while.

She came out of the changing room wearing a nice pair of pants. She was clutching the ripped one in her right hand.

"Nice Jessica. Take that", I said. She smiled, but then her expression changed as she saw Harry near me. Her mouth nearly dropped but I kept on smiling at her.

'Tell you later' I mouthed to her and she just nodded.

When we left, we waved goodbye to Harry. He stuck out his tongue at me and smiled. It melted my heart. That was so cute! Harry, Harry, Harry.

I spilled everything to Jessica. There were constant 'oohs' and 'aahs' from her. I could only chuckle every time she did that.

"Well, that's cute. But you know, I still think you and Danny would make a sweet couple" she said.

I laughed. "Oh? Why?" I never really thought about that.

"Well, you two get along so well. Plus, you're really sweet. You two could be mistaken for a couple".

"Nah. We're just friends".

"Mmm-hmm… Whatever Anthea", she said and rolled her eyes.

I poked her gently on the shoulder. She gasped and poked me back. We kept up this poking game for a few minutes. We giggled when we finally stopped. I never knew Jessica was so playful. She was just like Dougie.

"Well, if you ask me, I say you and Dougie would go well together" I told her.

She grinned and snorted. "Really? But he doesn't care much for girls. He's never around them. But I do like him you know."

"Maybe you could change that".

"Not a chance."

"I propose a bet. If Danny and I become a couple, I'll audition for the lead role in the play during our senior year".

"Ooh. Nice one. Fine. You'll eat your words. Okay. If Dougie and I become a couple, I'll audition for the lead MALE role."

We shook hands in a business-like manner. We grinned. We were both confident that we would win the bet. Besides, it can't really happen, can it?


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8 (Beach)**

I closed my eyes as I listened to the sound of the crashing waves. The sand felt soft against my feet, and the wind was blowing gently. It was really sunny today. Luckily, I put on sunblock. A sunburn is definitely something I certainly wouldn't want to go through with. It seriously hurts.

The week passed by quickly, the subjects were getting a little bit harder now. I still managed to get good grades though. My lowest so far was a A- in World History. I don't really mind. After all, how was I supposed to remember everything about Greek civilization? I found out that Danny constantly topped the class. There were a lot of things I didn't know about Danny yet, he barely talks about himself. Most of those things that I didn't know turned out to be his shining qualities.

I opened my eyes. It feels nice to get away from school stress, especially when you get-away destination was the beach. This weekend, I came with Jessica, Tom, Danny, Harry, Dougie and Jenny. Jenny was a new friend of mine and I definitely wanted her to tag along. We were having an overnight at a fancy beach resort here.

I continued looking at the waves. It feels so nice to see a sight like this… I closed my eyes and took in deep breaths. I love this moment. So calm… So refreshing… Serene…

"BOOOMM!!!", two voices shouted in my ear.

I covered my ears and screamed. "EEEKK!!!!". Who the heck was that??? I whirled around and saw Tom and Dougie practically rolling in the sand. They couldn't stop laughing.

"I swear! You should've seen your face!!!"Dougie snorted, holding his tummy.

"Yeah. I haven't seen anything that funny in years! You entertain us more than the telly", Tom chuckled.

I stared at them, raising my eyebrow. But then I laughed. I had to admit, that was a good prank. "Haha. Very funny."

After laughing so much, they sat next to me. Dougie was still stifling a laughter every time he looked at me. Tom finally managed to contain himself. He slapped Dougie's back when Doigie started laughing again.

"So, I heard that you guys can sing well", I told them. They exchanged expressions and gave me a small smile.

"Oh… Er… Who told you that?"Dougie asked me.

"I have my sources", I simply replied and grinned slyly. Jessica would kill me if I told them every detail. It seems that they're still a bit shy to showcase their talents. Dougie pouted and stuck out his tongue. I could only chuckle. Dougie was like a kid sometimes. He was so cute.

"Yeah. We do. All of us actually love music. It's as natural as breathing for us", Tom shared.

"Well, why don't you guys sing for me?" I requested them. They looked at each other and mouthed words to one another. I waited while the two talked with each other, deciding if they wanted to sing for me or not.

"Okay. Fine. Any requests?" Tom asked.

Yes! They finally agreed.

"How about… Dancing Queen!" I replied jokingly. The two burst into laughter once again. Dougie gave me a light punch and I poked him back.

"Veeerrry funny", Tom said and rolled his eyes. He smiled and his dimple appeared on his face. Gosh he looked so cute when he smiled. I also noticed that he had such perfect white skin. I'd love to take a picture of him now.

"Hey. Why don't we sing her an original of ours?" Dougie suggested. Tom's eyes widened and he slapped his forehead.

"Of course! That would be great!" Tom exclaimed.

Wow. They write their own songs? That's pretty cool.

"Cool. I'd love to hear an original", I replied excitedly.

Once again they discussed with each other which song to sing. I played with the sand while I waited for their decision.

They finally nodded at each other. Tom was grinning widely.

"Okay. We've picked a good song. Listen carefully alright? I hope you like it", he said. I nodded, excited for the song.

"Wait. Let's get our guitars. It'll sound better that way", Dougie cut in. He stood up, shook the sand from his slippers and went back to the reception place of the hotel just near the beach.

Wow. They even brought their guitars.

"We play our tunes when we get bored or when we want to write a new song", Tom said. I nodded.

Dougie came back, holding two acoustic guitars and some guitar picks. Tom held one and began strumming a bit. He seemed satisfied with the sound after a few minutes.

Finally, the show was about to begin. The two began strumming their guitars.

"Good, good, good, good enough. Good, good enough", Dougie first sang. I felt like my whole world stopped spinning. His voice was incredible. It's like I didn't want to listen to anything else.

Tom began to sing as well.

"I can't stop, I can't stop loving you

You're a dreamer, and dreaming's what you do.

I won't stop believing that this is the end

There must be another way

Coz I couldn't handle the thought of you going away

Wooah yeah"

His voice was so… Enchanting. My mind blocked out every other sound. I only wanted to hear their voices.

The two began to sing together now.

"Sorry's not good enough

Why are we breaking up?

Coz I didn't treat you rough

So please don't go changing

What was I thinking of?

You said you're out of love

So baby don't call this up because

Sorry's not good enough".

As they sang, all the hairs on my arm stood up. They were freakin' good.

I was silent for a few seconds, then I clapped my hands didn't deserve just an applause, they deserved a standing ovation.

"You guys are too talented for words", I replied and applauded again.

They both grinned widely. I could see Dougie turning a bit pink. Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw a grinning Jessica. She was wearing a pink, sleeveless shirt, shorts and sunglasses.

"Hey Jessica", I greeted her and invited her to sit near me.

"Hey Anthea. Hi Dougie, hi Tom", she greeted us enthusiastically. Dougie and Tom waved at her.

"Oh. By the way, I thought you might be hungry. There are some M and M's here", she said and took out a small tube. That was nice. I was hungry.

"Thanks Jessica. My stomach's practically screaming for food." I thanked her warmly. I twisted the cap and opened it.

Suddenly, a green snake came out from the container and lunged at me. I panicked. I screamed and threw away the container. I covered my eyes with my hands.

All of a sudden, I heard people laughing and snorting. What was so funny? Where's the snake. I removed my hands from my eyes and saw that they were all laughing… Apparently at me. Jessica was grinning at me.

"Still hungry?" she asked teasingly. I stuck out my tongue at her. I was so scared.

I looked at the 'snake'. It was just a toy snake made out of crepe paper. The tube was a prank toy.

"Haha. Very funny Jessica", I said sarcastically. She grinned innocently, and I chuckled at her. I gave her a light punch.

Dougie and Tom still couldn't stop laughing, especially Dougie. He was already rolling in the sand.

"Hahaha. That was a good one Jessica" Tom laughed. "You know, you're the first girl I've ever seen to pull a prank like that."

"Yeah. I didn't know you were like that! It's pretty cool you know", Dougie agreed and smiled at her. When he did that, I saw Jessica turn pink. So she does like him.

"Here comes class president", Tom announced. We all turned our heads to see Jenny walking towards us. Her brown, curly hair was tied into a ponytail and she was wearing a tee and shorts. She waved at us.

"Jenny. You're here! Where've you been?" I greeted her. She sat next to Tom.

"I just turned off the running showers. Honestly, some people don't know how to conserve water!" she said, a little angry. We all laughed. She was a really crazy one. She's always fighting for the environment.

"What? I don't wanna die early. Save water or die", she grinned. We all nodded. Oh well. That's Jenny. We all chatted for a bit.

"Hello", a voice said to my ear. I turned around and saw Danny. He was holding two ice cream cones.

"Hungry?" he offered and handed me one cone.

I took it and observed the cone first. Danny looked surprised.

"What? You don't like it?" he asked.

"No. I'm checking for _**pranks**_", I replied, heavily emphasizing the word 'pranks' as I looked at Jessica. She chuckled.

It seemed okay. I bit into my ice cream. No pranks. In fact, it was really yummy. I licked my lips. Mmmm… I always did love chocolate. The grumbling in my stomach subsided.

"Thanks Danny", I thanked him. He smiled and continued licking his ice cream cone.

"By the way Jenny, how are things going with Tyrone?" Jessica asked all of a sudden. All heads turned to listen carefully. The releationship between the class president and the star basketball player was an intriguing one. Everyone was always interested in that.

Jenny smiled and blushed at first. "Thing are… Er… Going well. We just went out on a date two days ago. He's really sweet you know. He watches me skate every time he finishes basketball practice."

"Woah. Five months and still going strong, eh? That's really sweet", Danny remarked. We all nodded in agreement. Jenny and Tyrone were the sweetest couple around. I really think that they might get married someday.

At the thought of Jenny and Tyrone getting married, I suddenly imagined me and Harry getting married. The wedding would be in the most beautiful cathedral, the flower girls would be the most popular kid celebrities, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez would be crying because they thought we were the sweetest couple ever. The world's greatest band would play our wedding song, and the priest would be the Pope. It was all going to be absolutely fabulous.

And Harry, he would look extremely handsome and proud. Whenever he'd look at me, I'd see deep love in his eyes that would make me melt.

"By the way, where the heck is Harry?" Tom asked. My daydream finally stopped as I realized that Harry was absent. Where was he?

"Oh. He got really tired when we finished surfing. He's sleeping like a baby in his hotel room", Danny explained.

Aw… Harry's gone. I can't see him because he's sleeping, but I wouldn't want to wake him up. He needs his rest.

The sky suddenly turned black and thunder began to rumble. We all decided to head back to our hotel rooms. Danny lent me his jacket that he was wearing so I wouldn't get wet. He was always so sweet. I can understand why girls really like him.

We all went into our rooms. Jessica and Jenny were my room mates. We chatted until 8:30 before they decided to take a bath. They all took a bath while I turned on the television. There was nothing really entertaining. The two came back after thirty minutes.

"Bad news" Jessica announced while wrapping a towel around her blonde hair.

"The water's gone in the ladies' shower room. You're going to have to take a bath at the boys' shower room", Jenny added.

Oh no. Boys' shower room? Heck no.

"Oh??? No way!" I protested.

"Well, you need a bath. Plus, the guys are asleep now. It's like nine in the evening now. Go on. Freshen up", Jessica said.

I sighed. Well, I just can't let my body rot in dirt. I might as well go shower in wherever's available. I can't be too picky.

I stood up, got my clothes, hung my towel over my shoulder, and proceeded to the boys' shower room.

Hopefully, they were really asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9 (SHOWER INCIDENT)**

I passed by the boys' room on the other side of the building. I was relieved to find that there were "Do Not Disturb" signs hanging on probably each doorknob. Good, that meant that they were all fast asleep.

I walked towards the showers now. I passed by one room which was occupied by Danny, Harry and Dougie. I suddenly heard a snore from the room. The sound made me jump. I suddenly heard Danny's voice. He was talking in his sleep.

"Er… There are rats everywhere", I heard him mutter. Then he fell silent.

Okay Anthea. Don't be scared. Just a quick shower, and you can go. And you'd better do it fast.

I finally reached the showers. The place was painted blue and there were several showering places in front of me. There was a huge mirror to my right and some sinks below it. The place was really clean.

I went inside one shower, locked its door, and began to take off my clothes. I hung my clean clothes and my used ones in separate hooks. I opened the faucet, and warm water began pouring on me. The water felt good against my skin. Now this is refreshing. I began cleaning myself up with shampoo and soap.

I was done in about ten minutes. I turned off the shower and got my towel that was hanging on one hook. I carefully wrapped the towel around my body. I was about to get my clean set of clothes on one hook when they plopped to the wet floor.

"Darn it!" I hissed, picking up the clothes. Thank God I packed extra ones. I'll just change in our room I guess.

Well, now I was supposed to go back to my room wearing only a towel wrapped around me. Thankfully, all the guys are asleep so I can sneak out without being seen. I'd die if any of the guys saw me. I think I would manage going back.

I got out. As soon as I went out, I squealed as I saw a guy in the showers as well. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Why did this have to happen?? Even worse, why this guy??

Darn it! How come it was Harry??

Harry stood there looking at me with wide eyes. He looked so surprised. Well, why wouldn't he? After all, seeing a girl with only a towel wrapped around her in the boys' shower really is bizarre. Gosh. He must think I'm a pervert. Why did this happen? I'm only wearing a freakin' towel for Pete's sake!!

I should explain. Fast. Before I make myself a total fool in front of him.

To my surprise, he suddenly laughed. I was stunned.

"Er… What's so funny right now?" I asked him.

"Nah. I'm just having a bit of de ja vu. I just remembered that the same thing happened to me last year. The showers here sometimes do run out of water in the ladies' shower room. So girls sneak here to take a shower. Last year though, the girl threw her slipper at me", he replied, chuckling.

"R-Really?"

"Yup. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. It'll be our little secret. There's nothing wrong really. Even if you are only wearing a towel.

I felt like melting when he said that. It was totally fine with him, and he didn't make a scandal out of it. I think I'm even more in love with him. I smiled at him, and thanked him for understanding. I was so relieved. Maybe he was the best guy to catch me in the act.

"I'm… Gonna change now Harry. Thanks. Goodnight", I bade him and walked away. I was already near the door when he suddenly grabbed my arm. I nearly screamed. My cheeks felt hot once more.

"Harry, what's wrong?" I asked him.

He had a peculiar expression on his face. He looked like a kid who didn't want his mother to leave him.

"Well, you see… I… Er… Get scared when I'm all alone. Plus, I need a shower desperately. Can you stay outside here for a while? It'll calm my nerves", he pleaded with his cute eyes.

How could I say no? He was absolutely adorable.

"Sure Harry. I'd be glad to", I replied. He smiled back at me and hugged me tightly. I was shrieking inside. Things could not get any better. My cheeks were turning red again, and my heart began to beat so fast. He finally pulled away from me.

"Aw… Thanks a lot. I won't be long", he replied. He yanked a towel from one hook on the wall. He was already carrying his clean set of clothes on his shoulder. He began taking his shower.

While I waited, I couldn't stop thinking of Harry. He was so dreamy, and he was such a nice and understanding guy. I heart Harry. I heart Harry. I heart Harry.

He finally came out, looking refreshed. Whoa. He looked even more handsome now. He seemed to have forgotten his shirt, so he was only wearing his board shorts. Gosh he looked so fit. I couldn't stop myself from glancing at his chest once in a while.

"Thanks a lot. I owe you one", he grinned. I nearly replied "Anything for you darling". Good thing I managed to stop myself.

I nodded at him, smiling.

"Well, goodnight now. I really appreciate you staying here", he said and walked towards me.

I was caught off guard with what he did next. He kissed me on the cheek very gently. His lips felt so nice against my cheek,. Now my body felt like wobbling and crashing to the floor. Did he really just do that?  
"Um… Um… Um… Sure. Goodnight", I replied quietly and hurriedly went outside. I walked fast, and finally reached my room.

Jessica and Jenny were already asleep now as I carefully opened the door, trying my best not to make a sound. I lay on my bed, thinking about what just happened. I definitely won't forget it. Harry actually kissed me on the cheek!! I probably won't wash my cheek for weeks!

Harry was driving me crazy, and I loved every second of it. It feels so nice to be in love, especially with a totally gorgeous guy.

I smiled and closed my eyes. Pretty soon, I drifted off to sleep. Of course, all of my dreams were about Harry. Not that I'm complaining.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10 (AN UNHEARD CONFESSION)**

I woke up early. Jessica and Jenny were still snoozing. I rolled in my bed and grabbed my alarm clock. It was 5:30 am. Very early.

Nevertheless, I sat up. I couldn't go back to sleep. I might as well roam around the beach for a while.

I silently got up and faced the mirror. I began brushing my long, black hair. My cheeks were a bit pink and I looked at my green eyes. My white face seemed a bit paler than usual. I smiled when I was satisfied with my hair.

I walked quietly, being careful not to wake up my roomies. I twisted the doorknob and went outside. I finally got to the beach. It was a bit chilly. It was still a sleepy atmosphere out here. I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply.

All of a sudden, I heard the strumming of a guitar. I immediately opened my eyes, curious as to where the sound could be coming from. I walked around for a bit, searching for the source. I looked to my far right.

I saw a brown-haired boy sitting on the sand, his back resting his back on a coconut tree. I squinted and realized that it was Danny. He was humming a tune while strumming his guitar. I went closer as I tiptoed quietly.

I studied his face carefully for the first time. He really was handsome. His blue eyes were beautiful, and they really melted a girl's heart when he smiled. His teeth were really perfect, probably his best feature.

Suddenly, he began to sing. I was quiet as I observed him.

"I've got to escape now

Get on her plane now, oh yeah"

His voice… Is… Perfect. My heart felt like jumping out of my body. His voice was the sweetest music. He continued to sing.

"And up to L.A.

And that's where I'll stay, for two years

Put it behind me

Go to a place where she can't find me… Oooh.

Coz obviously, she's out of my league.

I'm wasting my time coz she'll

Never be mine

And I know I

Never will be good enough for her

No, no

I never will be good enough for her."

He finally finished the song. My mouth was open; he was too incredible for words. I don't think I'll be able to find any voice like his. His voice was so unique and absolutely wonderful. It turned my legs to jelly.

I decided to surprise him. I tiptoed in order to be quiet. He was still humming to himself. In fact, he was even closing his eyes.

I placed my hands on his sides and began to poke him. He nearly jumped. I laughed hard. He turned around and smiled when he saw that it was me.

"It's too early, and you're still restless?" he teasingly said. I stuck out my tongue at him. He chuckled and invited me to sit next to him. I happily obliged.

"Hey. I heard you sing Danny. You were really, really good you know. Amazing, even", I told him.

I saw him smile at me bashfully and turn red. "Nah. Not really. I just have a passion. But I'm not that good", he replied modestly. He was so humble.

"Seriously! My mouth was hanging open! Just hearing your voice would make any girl fall for you, even me", I told him enthusiastically. He was so good, and he needed to acknowledge that fact.

I was surprised to see him turn so red now. I know that he does blush from time to time, but he was never this red.

"Aw… Thanks. Glad you like an original of ours", he thanked me.

WOOOAH. That was an original?

"That's an original? It's super good! I love the song. It's very good. Seriously. That should be known to the world", I exclaimed excitedly.

Danny thanked me again. He was getting more embarrassed by the second.

I suddenly yawned. Danny looked at me and laughed.

"You still sleepy?" he asked me.

"Surprisingly, yes", I replied.

"Well, what are you for? Go on. Put your head on my shoulder", he offered and patted his shoulder. I placed my head there.

"Really? Thanks a lot Danny", I said and yawned again. "Danny, you really are sweet. I'm so glad you're here with me", I managed to mutter before finally dozing off. My eyes closed and my mind drifted off to sleep.

Because I was unconscious, Danny could finally express his feelings. Too bad I didn't know.

He stroke my hair and looked at me fondly. He laughed when I snored a bit. Hey, I was tired.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you how I feel. I'm scared that it would ruin our friendship. Plus, you might get angry. I'm sorry for being so shy", he whispered gently to my ear even though I couldn't hear.

"It's alright if you love Harry. I understand. I'm happy for you every time you smile, thinking of him. But I won't stop loving you. I can't stop… I can't stop loving you. I'll still help you with HaHHHHHarry though, if it makes you smile so beautifully. I'd do anything to make you smile and stay with me… I love you", he said quietly and kissed my forehead. For a second, I smiled too. Even though I was unconscious of what was happening. He continued smiling and humming a tune to himself.

Danny was in love with me, and I had no idea. After all, I was fast asleep, and all that I dreamed of was Danny's wonderful, mesmerizing voice.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 (MESSAGE IN A POCKET)

"Anthea, wake up sleepy-head", Danny quietly told me as he woke me up.

My eyes slowly opened. The sun was already shining so brightly now. How long was I asleep?

"Oh. Hi Danny. How long was I out?" I yawned. I still felt sleepy. It felt nice to sleep on Danny's shoulder.

"Well, it's 6:30 now", he replied.

I was shocked. I slept that long? What? He didn't mind my heavy head on his shoulder for an hour?

"Danny? An hour? Whoa! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed and quickly removed my head from his shoulder. He laughed a bit.

"It's nothing really. I dozed off too after a few minutes", he replied.

Gosh. I feel so embarrassed. Danny was so nice for letting me sleep on his shoulder for that long. I smiled away, completely blown away by what he did.

"Well, it's time for breakfast", he said as he stood up. He offered his hand and I took it. He helped me stand up. I shook the sand from my slippers.

Because I was still a bit sleepy, I couldn't walk properly. I had trouble with my balance. My foot twisted and I lost my balance. I slipped.

Luckily, Danny caught me before I could fall down.

"Oops!" I squeaked as he caught me in his gentle arms. I looked into his eyes. There was something different in them. They seemed gentler and something in them made me feel safe. His strong arms held me close to his chest.

I suddenly felt my heart beat a bit faster. With Harry, I also felt my heart beat this fast. But… This seems totally different and new.

He grinned at me, and I managed to snap out of it.

"Hey, are you still with me?" he gently asked as he let go of me. I was fine now. I should be more careful. I nodded at him, and returned his smile.

I finally stood up properly, stretching my arms. I still felt a bit dazed though. Gosh I was like a worm.

He was suddenly in deep thinking, like he was planning something. Suddenly, his face brightened, like a great idea just hit him.

"Wait here", he said and went back to the hotel we were staying at.

I obeyed. No problem, I was still sleepy anyway. I might as well stay here a bit. It's like every muscle in my body refused to move. I sat down on the sand again. I closed my eyes, the breeze felt really cool. I was like this for several minutes.

Suddenly, all of my senses perked up. I finally felt alive again as the smell of bacon and hot chocolate reached my nose. I opened my eyes to see Danny holding a tray filled with food. The bacon and eggs were on two plates and there were two mugs with yummy hot chocolate in them.

I was surprised. That was so thoughtful of him to bring me breakfast. Honestly, Danny's too nice. He's more devoted than a slave.

I felt very touched. No guy has ever done something like this for me. It's kind of unreal even. Usually, guys like him were only in books or movies. It's insane that he actually exists.

"Well, since you were too sleepy and you couldn't move too much yet, I decided we should have breakfast here", he said cheerfully as he sat down next to me.

He set down the tray on a huge tree stump, and handed me one mug of chocolate. I thanked him and began to drink my mug.

Mmm… I felt so much better now.

Danny drank his mug too. He grinned at me after taking a huge gulp. I laughed at him when he was done. He looked at me, puzzled at my reaction.

"What's so funny?" he asked me.

"Well, you've got chocolate on your mouth", I giggled, pointing to his mouth which was painted brown. He only chuckled. I took out my clean handkerchief from my pocket.

"Here… Let me wipe that off", I said and wiped off the chocolate from his mouth. I saw him turn a bit pink. I was finally done removing his 'chocolate moustache'. He thanked me. I began eating my bacon and eggs.

"Thanks so much Danny. You're the best", I told him enthusiastically. The wonder that food can do; now there was life in me.

"I'm glad you're back to your restless self", Danny told me teasingly. I poked him.

"Er… Thanks?" I replied and laughed a bit.

"You know, I think that Dougie might be into Jessica. You should've seen them a while ago. They were sitting at the fountain, talking and laughing. They could really get along, those two", he narrated to me.

"Really? That's great! I'm gonna win the bet!" I blurted out excitedly before I could stop myself. I realized my mistake. Oh no. Me and my big mouth.

"Oh? What bet?"

"Er… Nothing. Oooh. Is that an ant?" I tried to distract him while pointing to the sand.

He chuckled. "Whatever Anthea. Never mind. I won't ask you anymore", Danny sighed.

I took a deep breath. Whew. Thank goodness he respected privacy.

I set down my mug of hot chocolate beside me. My body felt so better. I began to blab to Danny. Gosh I was so talkative when I eat.

I sipped my mug of chocolate once more.

All of a sudden, somebody tapped my shoulder with great force. I was so shocked that I dropped my mug of chocolate on my shirt. I gaped at the brown, dripping mess that I made.

"Oh crud! I'm so sorry Anthea!" an apologetic voice said behind me. I turned around to see Dougie looking very sorry. He looked like a puppy. I could only grin back. What else was I supposed to do? It was an accident after all. Thank goodness my chocolate drink wasn't so hot anymore.

"It's okay Dougie, I'll just change", I replied. No problem, I still had clothes. Dougie kept on apologizing to me. I assured him that I was fine. Aw… Poor Dougie. He really did seem so sorry. I wasn't angry at all at him.

I walked to the hotel, and towards my room. I finally got inside our room. Jessica and Jenny weren't here. I quickly rummaged my bag, searching for my extra shirt. I was horrified to discover that I had no extra shirt.

"This can't be happening!" I gasped. I rummaged through my bag again, panic gradually building inside me. No extra shirt at all. I only had underwear and a pair of shorts.

No. No. No. I swear I packed a shirt. I did pack one…. I think. Darn it. I was so forgetful at times.

I sat on my bed and began to breathe slowly. All right. Calm down. Calm down. It's no use being so upset. You'll find a way…

What?? How can I be calm??? I can't go out like this! I'm a total mess!

"Uuurrgghh…" I groaned and lied on my bed, burying my face in my pillow. I cannot believe this.

Suddenly, I heard the doorknob click. I immediately sat up. I felt like melting when I saw who entered the room.

Of course, it was none other than Harry.

"H-Harry? What're you doing here?" I asked, stuttering a bit. Harry always made me nervous. Oh well. I just like him so much.

"Hey, you okay? I heard you groaning so loudly", he said as he smiled ever so sweetly at me.

Well, I might as well tell him my dilemma.

"You see, my shirt's dirty. I spilled chocolate on it. And now I have no extra clothes. I actually forgot to pack one", I explained, shrugging my shoulders.

He nodded. "Oh. I see… Wait a sec. I might be able to help you".

"Really? How?"

"Just wait here. I'll be back in a bit".

He went out again. I didn't want him to though; even if it means wearing this dirty shirt. Every second with him was so worth it.

I looked at my shirt in the mirror and grimaced. Uugh. Um… Well, I was a mess I guess.

I began daydreaming again. I imagined our first date. We were walking by the beach, it was a sunny afternoon. He was holding my hand, and we were looking at each other so sweetly. We were smiling at each other, absolutely happy with each other's company.

"I love you", he's suddenly say while holding my head, inching closer to me. I'd close my eyes and smile. It was a perfect moment, our first kiss. Nothing could ruin this moment… Well, daydream at least.

I suddenly heard a knock on the door. What? There's no door in a beach.

I realized that it was actually, and that I was not in a beach. I was here in my room, messy. I was pulled back into reality. So much for our 'first kiss'.

Harry entered clutching a green shirt. What's he going to do with that?

"You can borrow this for a while. It's mine and I won't really be using it", he explained, holding up the shirt.

Did I just hear that right? He's letting me wear his clothes? I'm wearing his clothes?

I felt like the world was spinning… Again. I can't believe this. It was way better than any daydream.

"You sure Harry?" I asked first. I didn't want to look too eager. But… Please say yes. Please say yes. Please yes.

"Sure. I don't see any problem with that", he shrugged.

I felt like lava was rushing through my veins. My body temperature was rising by the minute. I can't take this! This was too much. It's beyond all of my imagination. But I kinda liked it…

He handed me the shirt. I felt like holding it onto my chest forever.

"Well, I'd better head out for a while. You still need to change", he suggested. I nodded and thanked him. He walked out the door.

I was staring at his shirt. I can't believe it; his clothes are in my fingers. I hugged it tightly and tried not to giggle too hard. Harry might hear me. This is the most valuable thing to me right now. It even smelled good.

I took off my shirt carefully and placed it on the bed. I put on Harry's shirt. It was a little loose but still pretty comfortable. Well, what's to expect? It's a guy's clothes anyway. And I can't complain because it's Harry's shirt.

Either way, I feel so grateful. My problem was solved, with Harry's shirt no less.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked fine now. I don't mind the shirt being loose, I looked way better now. I sat on the bed.

I heard Harry knock on the door.

"You okay now?" he called.

"Yeah. Come in", I replied.

He came in. He smiled at me when he saw me wearing the shirt.

"Is it okay?" he asked, making sure that I was comfortable.

"Better than ever. I owe you one", I replied graciously. It's way better than okay Harry. If only you knew…

"That's good", he said and sat down beside me. Gosh I felt like being in an oven.

I looked around the room. I was suddenly shocked when Harry held my hand. I felt like a volcano just erupted inside me. What was he doing?? Am I dreaming??

"You know, your hands are so small. It's pretty cute though", he observed as he held my hand. I felt like my air supply was slowly draining by the minute. Well, he was right. My hands were pretty small. But he did say that he found it cute, so I don't mind.

I stared into his light-blue eyes. I felt a tingling sensation go throughout my body. I felt like I was being tickled.

He finally let go of my hand. I could breathe normally now. "Well, we'd better get going now. Your bag's all packed now right?". I nodded. I had my things packed last night.

We got our things and proceeded to the van provided by Jessica. Jessica and Dougie seemed really tight now. I noticed that Dougie seems to have a crush on her. He kept on staring at her whenever she looked away. I guess I'm more likely to win the bet.

But then I remembered how fast my heart began to beat when I looked into Danny's eyes a while ago, and there was something different in them. It felt different from what I felt when I looked into Harry's eyes. With Harry, I always felt nervous; but with Danny, I felt this sense of security that was way better than anything. I felt safe and warm inside. Suddenly, Evangeline's words echoed in my mind:

"What you are chasing is not what you really want. Be open to other choices."

Could Danny be another choice? I can't imagine it though. Is it possible that I would fall for him? But… I can't believe that. Besides, he probably likes another girl. I don't think I'm his type. There was a zero-percent chance that he'd fall for me. He might even have a girlfriend. After all, there's not much that I really know about the guy.

I pondered on this while we were in the van. We all fit in quite well, there was enough elbow room. The boys were at the back, and they were quite rowdy.

Finally, we arrived at my house. I waved goodbye to them all. I waved to Harry last. Gosh I was going to miss him.

I walked to the front door and opened the door. Mom and Dad were sitting together in the sofa, watching television while eating chips. They were so sweet. I hope me and my future husband could be like them.

I greeted my parents and hugged. They asked how the trip was, and I said that I loved every second of it. After all, I had such a great time with Harry.

After telling them everything, (well, minus the shower incident and about Harry's shirt), I went upstairs. They didn't even ask about my loose shirt. I went to my room and faced the mirror. My hair was a mess. I started fixing it until it finally looked decent. I just noticed now that Harry's shirt actually had pockets. I never noticed that before. I was pretty slow in observing things at times.

I jumped on my bed, lying down. I faced the ceiling. I missed my bed a lot. I dug my hands into the shirt's pockets.

I felt something inside. I took it out and saw that it was a neatly folded piece of paper. I opened it to see its contents. I began reading the letter.

"Hey Anthea. Thanks for the blueberry cheesecake. I know that you sent it. Don't ask me how I found out though. That bit's not so important anyway. Anyway, thanks so much. You've been really great, and I love hanging out with you. Love lots, Harry".

I stared into the piece of paper with Harry's scribble on it. Oh my, he found out. I did send him a box of blueberry cheesecake last week when I found out that it was his favourite dessert. I never said that it was from me though. I wonder who told him?

Oh well, at least Harry recognized my efforts; even though I didn't mean to let it happen this way.

I placed my pillow to my face, took a deep breath and screamed. I was so happy! My weekend was so perfect, more than I could've hoped for. There were so many things that happened between Harry and me.

I felt like dancing like an idiot. I wouldn't care if anybody saw me. Heck, they could even take a video of me and post it on Youtube. I still wouldn't care. My happiness was too overwhelming.

Things between us were going so well. Maybe we might end up as a couple. Well, a girl can dream can't she?

In any case, I loved everything that has happened. I'm definitely hoping for more.

"Love lots, Harry".

Gosh that line melted my heart. I slept well that night, dreaming of Harry.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12 (CHASE)

Monday came. It's back to the old school routine. I woke up early, I think about 5:30 am. I immediately took a shower after sitting up a bit and rubbing my eyes. There was nothing better than a nice hot shower.

I began drying my hair when I went back to my room. I put on a blue tee and a pair of pants.

I went out of my room. It was still quiet. All the rest of the people in the house were fast asleep. I chuckled when I heard Kristoph snore.

I decided to cook pancakes for myself. I missed it. I whipped up a batch of pancakes in a few minutes. I immediately wolfed down the whole batch. I went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of Minutemaid. It was my favourite drink, especially the orange one.

I managed to finish the whole bottle in a few gulps. I looked at the clock; it was 6:15 now. I guess I could go to school early today.

I slung my knapsack on my shoulder, left a not for mom and dad, and went outside. The sky was light-blue. I paused. Why the heck am I here? It's way too early.

Oh well. No time to change plans now.

I continued walking, passing by the familiar houses. The breeze was cold, as it was practically every single day. This day reminded me of my first day in school. Except now I was in a better mood.

And I wasn't alone.

Suddenly, someone quickly slipped their arm around my shoulder. I turned around and saw Danny. Whoa. He was pretty early today as well.

"Hey, you're up early", I grinned at him.

"So are you", he said, grinning as well. I'm glad he was with me now. I always had a blast with Danny.

We began to chat. Danny actually woke up earlier. He said that he woke up at about 5. He was strumming his guitar and writing a new song when it was still too early. He didn't look sleepy though. After telling me that, we exchanged jokes. Gosh he knew so many funny jokes. I even snorted. I clapped my hands to my mouth whenever I did that. It was so embarrassing, but Danny didn't mind. He just laughed.

Our fun was cut short though when I heard a bark behind us.

Oh no… Please don't be a dog.

I turned around to see a small Chihuahua barking at us. I felt like all of my senses froze for a moment. Panic building inside me.

Let's just say that I don't like dogs… Okay. That's putting it mildly. I am freakin' scared of dogs. I had such an awful experience with dogs in the past.

I held on to Danny's arm. He turned to me, a worried expression on his face. My hands were getting clammy now.

Danny touched my cheek, my skin cold as ice. "Hey, you feeling okay? You're so cold now", he asked me, absolutely concerned.

I nodded weakly. "Yeah. S-sure. I'm fine".

He didn't seem convinced, so he turned to the back to see what was wrong. He suddenly looked panicked as well.

"Oh crud. Of all the dogs, why Maxie?" he groaned. Why was Danny panicking? He liked dogs, why was he worried?

"Anthea, be calm okay? Don't move" he slowly instructed me. The Chihuahua snarled at us. No wonder Danny didn't like this dog. I can't believe it looked vicious despite its puny size.

"Be still. I'll count one to three. One… Two… Three!" he yelled. He suddenly carried me on his back and began to run. The dog sprinted after us as well.

"Jeez! This is why I hate you Maxie!!! I can't believe we've been enemies since I was eight", Danny muttered while he kept on running.

I was so scared now. Dogs scared me so much. I felt like I could faint any minute now. My skin was growing colder.

The dog began barking at us. I screamed. Danny ran even faster, he nearly kicked the dog. I closed my eyes, still terrified to look at the freak.

'Don't open your eyes. Don't open your eyes' I thought to myself. Right about now, I was completely oblivious to what was happening around me. I didn't want to know anyway.

Danny suddenly stopped running. His breathing began to relax a bit; he wasn't out of breath anymore. He was still panting a bit though after the race.

"It's okay now", he whispered to me. I finally opened my eyes. We were at school now. Wow. Danny was fast.

I started to relax now. The dog wasn't here anymore. I realized that Danny was still carrying me. I'd better get off now.

"Danny, I'm fine now. I'll get off now", I told him gently. He set me down gently on a bench. "Thanks Danny. Thanks a lot".

I began to breathe slowly. Okay. I'm okay now.

He sat next to me. "You okay? You looked so scared back there", he asked me.

"Oh… I'm just scared of dogs. I got bitten by one when I was six. That's why. It wasn't so pleasant… After that, I've never touched a dog again", I replied, smiling a bit.

I sighed. All of a sudden, he hugged me tightly and patted my back. I felt safer now, and more secure. It's as if no one was going to hurt me.

"It's all right. I'm here", he said in a soothing voice. He was so gentle.

My heart started to beat fast again. I don't know why, but it just did. I always felt this way whenever Danny did something so sweet.

He finally let go of me and patted my head. My heart beat went back to normal.

"Why'd you pat my head? The last time I checked, I wasn't a dog", I chuckled. He grinned.

"Glad you're back to normal" he replied, smiling.

We both decided to head to the classrooms. Our first class was Chemistry, as always. Only a few of our classmates were in the classroom though.

I decided to go back to my locker. I forgot my periodic table. I'll die in Chemistry if I don't have it.

I went to the lockers. I was about to unlock my locker when I saw a small piece of paper squeezed inside it.

I wondered when I saw it. I didn't squeeze a teeny tiny piece of paper in my locker. I am forgetful, but I'm positive about this.

I got it. It was neatly folded. I opened it and read what it said:

"I am completely in love with you".

That was it, but that was all that it took to stupefy me. I stared at the scrap of paper, and hurriedly got my periodic table. My day could not get any weirder. I wonder what else is in store for me.

Is this real? Someone actually likes me? I can't believe this. I kept on thinking who it was as I walked to the classroom confused.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 (FAINT)

"Girls, this is how we break the genetic code", our Biology teacher, Ms. Violet, droned on.

All eyes were on the chalkboard as Ms. Violet began writing a DNA pattern. It's quite easy really, just very complex and tedious.

I turned my notebook to the last page. I sandwiched my mysterious note there. I wonder who gave it.

I looked around the classroom and tried to make guesses. As much as I tried to find out who it was, nothing added up. It seems like no one in this class would give me something like this.

Maybe I should ask Danny. He knew the people around here well. I think he would know.

The bell finally rang. Everyone seemed so relieved when it did. I could hear some stomachs grumble. Everyone seemed eager for lunch.

Danny waited for me, as usual. This is it. I've got to tell him.

"Danny. I've got to show you something", I told him. He nodded.

"Well, it's this note you see. Do you have an idea as to who might've sent this?" I asked him, pulling out the piece of paper out of my pocket. I handed it to him. At first he smiled, but when he began reading eat, the color in his face drained away.

"What the hell?!?" he exclaimed, shocked. I flinched. I've never seen him react this violently before.

He began to calm down after breathing slowly. "Er… Sorry 'bout that. I was just so shocked".

He seemed nervous.

"Well, okay. It's no big deal anyway. So, do you have any idea?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Nope. Nada. Zilch. I don't know. Sorry", he replied quickly.

"Oh. It's okay Danny. Thanks anyway", I replied. Oh well. It's still a mystery.

I didn't hear what Danny was muttering to himself though. "I can't believe this. He is dead meat", he muttered so quietly.

Lunchtime with the guys was fun again. Danny seemed to be in a better mood. I chewed my broccoli. He kept making a face when I did that, I could only smile and punch him back lightly. Tom was really sweet today; he brought a huge pack of cookies for us. Gosh I really liked Tom.

Harry and Dougie weren't here yet. I was looking for Harry especially. I remembered his shirt, and I felt butterflies in my stomach again.

I saw Jenny with her boyfriend Tyrone. He was helping her carry her tray. I sighed when I saw him peck her cheek. She was one heck of a lucky girl.

Finally, Dougie showed up; and with Jessica no less. I saw a lot of girls gape as the two were laughing. They really looked like they were having a great time.

They sat down next to us. Jessica grinned widely at me. 'He asked me out!' she mouthed to me. I smiled back at her. This was great!

'No way!' I mouthed back.

'Way!' she shot back.

Wow. I win the bet then. I feel so happy for her because she has this wicked boyfriend; and happy for myself because I won a bet.

Harry wasn't here yet. Where was he anyway?

"Er… Where's Harry?" I asked, looking around the cafeteria for him.

"Oh. He's excused from classes", Tom replied.

"He's training in the field right now. He has a competition in running", Dougie added.

Oh okay. Aw… I already missed him.

Suddenly, my classmate Eric approached our table.

"Hey Eric", I greeted him. He smiled back at us while adjusting his glasses.

"Hey Danny… Uh… Can you help me?" he asked, his voice a little cracked. Whoa. Is he sick or something?

"Oh sure. This? Well, you have to mark each angle like so. Then you mark this side to show that it's congruent", Danny replied while scribbling on Eric's geometry notebook.

Eric sneezed. I could only smile. Aw… Poor Eric. He seemed so sick. He should take a break.

Lunchtime was finally up. We waved each other goodbye as we went to our respective classrooms.

"Achoo!" I sneezed and rubbed my nose. I think I caught something.

"You okay?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. Sure. I'll be fine", I replied.

I was so wrong.

I felt lifeless and my body ached. Everybody was dribbling a ball while I sat on the bleachers. I was not feeling good. My vision became a bit blurry.

I told our P.E. teacher that I wasn't feeling so well. She decided to let me rest for a while.

I just observed all of the players. Suddenly, Evangeline sat next to me, she smiled at me.

"Hey Evangeline", I said weakly. She looked at me with a worried expression on her face.

"You don't look so well Anthea. Maybe I should take you to my mom", she suggested.

"Your mom?" I asked, confused.

"Oh. My mom's a school nurse here. Seriously, you need a check-up", she said. I nodded. She was right; I do need a nurse right now.

We asked permission from the teacher to go to the clinic. She agreed immediately, saying that I should've gone ages ago.

I felt weaker as I walked. My vision was getting worse. We were already in the soccer field. I really felt weak now. I couldn't feel my legs anymore.

My body finally gave in. I fainted. I fell to the ground, but I could swear that a pair of hands caught me. I wasn't sure though; all I remembered was falling down.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14(A WALK WITH HARRY)

My eyes were closed. I could hear the buzz of an electric fan above me. I guess I'm in the clinic now.

Someone was stroking my cheek gently. Who was it? I didn't want to open my eyes yet though. I felt too tired.

"You know, she's a really funny one. I like her. And that's a big deal because I usually don't like people", Evangeline's voice said.

"Yeah. I know. I was so worried when she fainted. I can't imagine what would've happened if things were worse", another voice said.

I know this voice… I do! Wait… Who was it again? Er… My brain's not working at the moment.

"Aw… Poor Anthea", the other voice spoke again.

I gasped. Oh my gosh! It was Harry! And he was stroking my cheek!

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It's a dream come true! Harry's here with me. Please stay Harry.

Harry and Evangeline were still talking. I was curious. It's like they already knew each other. But I've never seen them hang out together.

"Harry, how's your dog Roger by the way?" Evangeline asked.

"He's fine. He's still the same after four years", Harry replied, chuckling.

He began to stroke my hair now. I was melting inside. I controlled myself from screaming.

"Hm… She smells like strawberry. Her hair I mean", he observed.

"Oh. That's your favourite scent right?" Evangeline said.

"Yeah. I'm amazed you still rememnber".

"How could I not? After all, you always stopped when you smelled anything that's like strawberry".

"I guess I did".

This was weird. How on Earth did Harry and Evangeline know each other? Things were certainly not adding up.

He removed his hand. I still closed my eyes. My body was still tired.

Suddenly, the door flew open. I bolted up immediately from the bed and saw a red-headed woman in a nurse's uniform.

"Where's the paaatttiieennt????" she called out in a loud voise. I gaped at her. This is the nurse?

I heard Evangeline groan.

"Moom. How many times have I told you not to yell? Especially when there are patients here", she whined.

Harry looked surprised too. He faced me and shrugged while smiling.

"No, no, no. Deeeaaarrr Evaaaannggeelliinne!! I'm doing this to help her get better!!! It's an old ritual in the fammmiiilllyy!!!" she continued yelling. Evangeline sighed.

"Mom. She's fine now. We just let her go to sleep", Evangeline explained.

Her mom suddenly grew quiet. She began to approach me. I nearly fell off the bed. She began observing my face. Then she nodded.

"Okay. She is fine. That's good. Anyway, Evangeline, tonight is a full moon. I'll need you to gather honey", she instructed Evangeline.

"Of course", Evangeline replied.

Suddenly, she turned to Harry and beamed. "Why Harry! You're here! It's nice to see you again my boy!".

"Aw… It's always a pleasure to see you Terra", Harry replied sweetly.

It suddenly hit me. Evangeline and Harry were childhood friends. No wonder.

"Look at the time. It's already dismissal", Terra said. "My dear, are you okay now?", she asked me.

I nodded. She smiled warmly.

I got up from bed and put on my shoes. I forgot my bag though; it was still in the classroom.

"Oh. Your bag's here. Danny brought it a while ago when he passed by", Evangeline announced, handing my bag to me.

Danny was really thoughtful. I owed him another one.

I took my bag and thanked Evangeline. I looked out the office. Yup. No one in sight. They all went home.

I felt better now. I guess I just needed sleep. Evangeline explained that I got infected with something by Eric. It's gone now though.

We all headed out to the main hall. Once we were outside, the skies began to turn grey. I sighed. Greeeat. It's going to rain, and I don't even have an umbrella. I'll be drenched in the rain.

Harry took an umbrella from his bag and opened it. Lucky him.

"Well, let's get going then?" he asked, grinning.

Whoa. I'm gonna walk in the rain with Harry under one umbrella? Cool.

"Sure. Thanks Harry. Bye Evangeline!" I said, waving to her. She smiled and waved back.

I felt like I was on a date. After all, Harry and I were alone in the pouring rain; under one umbrella. It felt like a movie.

And I'm just waiting for the romantic part to come hit me.

"So, you and Evangeline know each other?" I asked him, stepping on a puddle.

"Yeah. We were childhood friends", he replied.

"No wonder."

"Yeah. I know that we don't look like friends, but we're really close. She's very nice and down-to-earth. A lot of people actually get shocked when they find out we're actually friends."

"You two do look like an unusual pair."

"Yup. She's cool to me though."

We continued walking, stepping on puddles along the way. I suddenly remembered the piece of paper that I found. Maybe Harry knew something about it.

"Harry, do you have an idea who sent this?" I asked, handing him the paper. He was like Danny. At first he grinned, but then his expression turned sour. He looked angry.

"What the hell?!?" he exclaimed. I flinched again. He was the same as Danny. It's like de ja vu.

They had the exact same reaction.

"Oh. Sorry for that, it's just that… Well… I don't feel too good about this… I kind of want to protect you", Harry explained.

I felt like flying to the heavens. Harry? Protect me? Oh my gosh! That was so sweet!

"You know, kind of like an older brother", he added.

Suddenly, I felt like my wings were plucked off. As an older brother? No. I want more than that… He only saw me as a little sister, and I am so not cool with that. Well, it's not his fault anyway. I haven't even told him how much I liked him. Maybe if I do, he'd start seeing me in a new light.

An idea suddenly came into my mind; but it seemed too risky. I gulped. Okay. Is this really the time to confess? I stared at the puddles on the streets and looked up. I'd better hurry up then because my house was only a few meters away.

"Harry… I… I…" I started to say, turning red. Darn it. The words weren't coming out. Come on. Come on.

"Yes?" he asked with an innocent smile on his face.

Should I really shock him now??

"I… I… Um… You see… Er…"

He chuckled. "Spit it out Anthea, you don't need to be nervous around me."

I braced myself. Que sera sera. Time to really get out of my shell now.

"I'm in love with you Harry!" I blurted out.

He should've been stunned, but he didn't get to hear what I said. At the same time I managed to pour out my deepest feelings, the loud music and honking of an ice cream truck blocked out my voice. I was so ticked off.

Darn it! It shows up now? Just when I'm about to confess to Harry??

Also, it doesn't help that Harry was easily distracted by ice cream trucks. He was grinning from ear to ear when he saw it.

"Oh good! Ice cream! I'll get us some. Come on", he said and held my hand.

I felt like swooning. This feels like heaven. Harry picked chocolate ice cream for both of us. I have to admit, it was pretty yummy; even though I usually don't like chocolate. Or maybe I just liked it because Harry loved chocolate.

"Mmmm… This is yummy Harry. Thanks!" I said, grinning. Harry suddenly laughed out loud.

"What?" I asked, puzzled. I didn't do anything funny.

"Your teeth… They look decayed", he replied, pointing to my mouth. I smirked when he grinned as well. He had some on his teeth too. Yeah buddy, like you don't have some on your teeth too.

"Yeah right. You've got some on your teeth too", I retorted.

He looked surprised and laughed. "Um… Forget that ever happened. Wait. Anthea, you've got some chocolate… On your nose. Anyway, I've got it".

He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the chocolate from my nose. I can't believe there was chocolate there. I was so messy.

My heart pounded when Harry began wiping my nose gently. I wish this would last forever.

"Well, it's gone now. Let's take you home", he said. I nodded. Oh well. It didn't last forever, but it was enough.

I bade him goodbye when he had to leave that afternoon. I slept early, I was still pretty tired.

A few hours later, Dougie and Danny passed by my house. They were walking around the neighbourhood.

"Dougie! I told you to take the note from the locker!" Danny whined.

Dougie only chuckled "And spoil your chances of getting her? No way dude".

Danny sighed. "Oh well. No harm done though. Someone ripped off the last part of my note to her anyway".

Dougie looked at him with an outraged expression on his face. "What the hell? That was the most important part! Then she doesn't know that it was from you?" he exclaimed violently.

"Nope. She doesn't. Which is why I'm not beating you up now".

"Shut up. I know you're too nice to do that".

"Not really man."

"But seriously Danny, you're going to have to tell her sooner or later. Don't bottle up your feelings."

"I know. But she likes Harry, and I want her to be happy."

"Yeah man. But I think she could be happy with you too. I'm not kidding".

"Really?"

"Yeah. You can totally take care of her and provide her everything that she needs".

Danny sighed. "I hope so. But for now, I'm not yet going to tell her. But I'll definitely find the perfect time. I have to."

They walked away, talking about something else. So Danny did send the note, too bad I didn't know.

Dougie and Danny didn't know who ripped the last part of the note, and I didn't now about Danny's feelings for me.

Evangeline knew though.

Back at her home, she was sitting comfortably on her couch, reading a book. She pulled out the last part of the note from her pocket which said: "Love, Danny".

She grinned and chuckled. "Sorry guys, I saw that coming. I had to rip it off. But… I'd like to see you go on a wild roller coaster ride before you get to the last part".

She went back to reading, pleased with her plan.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15 (FLETCHER MANSION)

My eyes looked out of the window of the limousine as we entered the gates of the mansion. I beamed when I saw the sign "Fletcher Mansion" placed on the green grass.

I can't believe I'm in a limousine! And going to a mansion too!

How did this happen? Well, Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry were discussing what to do for the weekend. They were bored, so they wanted to do something fun for the weekend.

I was eating pizza while we were at our table during lunch time.

"Say, why don't we go to my mansion?" he suggested.

I nearly choked on my pizza. What?? Tom has a mansion???

"Wh-what??" I coughed.

Dougie patted my back. Ah… That felt better.

"Th-thanks Dougie. Really Tom??"

"Er… Yeah. My family owns the Fletcher Mansion", he replied, grinning.

Fletcher Mansion??? That was the mansion that I was practically staring at with my mouth wide open. I even daydreamed about that gorgeous place. Tom was actually a Fletcher? How come I was always the last one to know?

It was really huge. The gates were enormous as well. I can't believe I can go there!

So we finally decided to go to Tom'sMansion. Jessica, Jenny and Evangeline were coming with me. I loved hanging out with them.

So here we are now. Danny, Harry, Tom, Dougie, Jessica, Evangeline, Jenny and I were sitting comfortably in a posh limousine, ecstatic for the weekend. Dougie and Jessica were busy chatting. Yup. It's official now (trumpets please). They were a couple now. They looked great together anyway. I'm so happy for Jessica.

I looked at Evangeline and Harry. They were talking about their childhood. I smiled. Danny and Tom were busy thumb wrestling, and it seemed like Tom was winning. Jenny was busy talking to the president of the student council on her phone.

"Nope. The balloons go on the right side. That way, the kids won't rush to the adult's table to get the balloons. The adult table's on the left, that's why. It's going to be chaotic if they run to that side", I heard her say over the phone. She was so responsible. I guess that's why the president of the student council always asks for her opinions, which works all the time. She should be president, if you ask me.

I continued looking out the window. I could see a huge mansion coming into view. I reckon it has about thirty rooms in it. It was monumental in size. Tom is one lucky teen-ager.

The limousine finally pulled up in front of the mansion. I felt like a tiny, insignificant ant as I stared at the impressive structure before me. It was just so huge.

We finally got out of the limousine. Jenny, Evangeline and Jessica had the same reaction as me when they saw the mansion. Like I said, it was HUGE.

"Tom, you are so lucky, seriously", I said to Tom, patting his back.

He smiled, his dimple showing. "Aw… Not really. I feel luckier meeting you guys."

We all walked inside the mansion. This time, the inside of it blew me away.

A large, fancy chandelier hung on the ceiling. I could swear that it was made of the ever-expensive diamonds. The place was totally covered in carpet, and there were two staircases made out of the finest white marble. Beautiful, expensive-looking paintings were on the walls. There was a large, rectangular-shaped aquarium at the back filled with rare fishes. The place was filled with comfortable-looking sofas, glass tables, and intriguing sculptures. It was overwhelming too see a place this fancy.

"What? No tv?" Dougie joked. I looked around. Oh yeah. There was no television.

"Oh, wait", Tom said and grabbed a remote control sitting on one table. He pressed one button and a screen began slowly dropping from above. Whoa. A movie screen.

"Show off", Dougie muttered. Tom laughed and pinched Dougie's ear.

"Ouch! That hurt!' Dougie exclaimed,

"Serves you right", Danny and Tom said at the same time.

"Anyway, who wants to dive in the swimming pool?" Tom asked everyone.

I heard Jessica and Jenny go 'ooh' and 'aah'. The idea absolutely excited them.

I kind of felt nervous. I didn't know how to swim. I'll try though. Hello, there was a pool here.

"Well, let's get changed then", Danny suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement. We all proceeded to our rooms, guided by a maid. I felt like royalty. I was going to enjoy this weekend very much.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16 (POOL)

"Jump in the pool… Now"

"No. It's way too deep".

"Deep? It's only until my hips!"

"You're taller than me"

"By a few inches. Come on"

"You sure? I'll probably drown".

Danny and I had been debating for the past few minutes. I was too nervous to get in the swimming pool. I was scared of drowning… It was so deep.

All right. Maybe I was overreacting. The pool was only 4 feet after all.

I was sitting on the tiles, wearing a green swim suit. Danny was in the water, wearing his board shorts. I must admit, he did look pretty fit.

He urged me to go in the water once again. He really tried to convince me.

It worked. I agreed to finally get in the pool.

"Er… Just help me get in, okay?" I requested him. It seemed an easy enough request.

"Sure. Why don't you get on my back?" he suggested, approaching me slowly.

That was so nice of him.

I took a deep breath and carefully climbed on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. His body was so well-built.

He walked a few steps in the water. He was about to drop me when I winced. I'm not ready yet!

I heard him snort. "Come on. I won't let you drown. I'll take care of you".

"Okay… Sing to me first", I replied.

I only said this so that I wouldn't immediately immerse myself in the water. I was only stalling him.

"Er… Okay. What song?" he asked.

"Any. Even one of your original ones", I replied.

"Sure."

He cleared his throat and began to sing:

"So pinch me I must be dreaming,

My life has lost all its meaning.

But I like the way I'm feeling now.

Kissing your lips at midnight,

Under the stars and moonlight.

But I never thought we'd be this wrong."

Goose pimples began to break out through my skin. Danny's voice absolutely melted my heart. For one minute, all I could think of was his hypnotic voice. I was mesmerized.

"So, you ready to get in the pool?" he asked, pulling me back into reality.

I nodded. Okay. Brace yourself. He finally let go of me, and I plunged into the cool water. I screamed a bit. I guess I wasn't ready after all.

I panicked and rushed back to Danny, hugging him. He chuckled at me. I guess I did look like a fool. It was only 4 feet deep for heaven's sake!

"Aw Anthea… You are too adorable. I'm sorry I let go of you early", he apologized sincerely, patting my head.

Why was he apologizing? It wasn't his fault, really. It's not his fault I have no talent for swimming.

"Nah. It's my fault", I replied, still hugging him.

"It's never your fault silly. It's not your fault you were born this way", he teased me.

I pretended to strangle him. He only laughed.

A question suddenly popped into my mind.

"Danny, have you ever been in love?" I asked him.

I never knew anything about Danny's love life. I'd better find out whatever I can now. I know it sounds kind of nosy, but I wanted to know.

"Sure. Loads of times", he replied.

"Well, what about now? Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh… No. I'm single right now."

"Whaat?? But you're so…" I began to say but shut up. I was about to say 'hot' but that might be awkward and weird. I only realized now that I actually thought that Danny was hot.

He chuckled. "You see, I'm waiting for this girl. I really like her, she's different."

"Oh? How come she's not your girlfriend yet? I know a girl couldn't turn you down", I said.

"Well, she doesn't exactly 'like' me. She likes another guy you see. And I haven't told her how I felt".

Whaat? How can this happen? A girl actually turned him down?

"Well, why don't you tell her how you feel?"

"I'm still waiting for the right time. I could do it now but I don't want to shock her. Besides, I think she really likes the guy".

"Nah. He's not all that. You're way better Danny, only a fool would turn you down. You'll see, you'll get her soon".

He smiled, flashing his perfect set of teeth. "It's okay. If she's happy, I'm happy. I don't want to be selfish, even if it means not getting what I want. I'm still waiting for her though".

"Why Danny? Is she really worth it?"

He paused for a while. "Yes. I'm sure. Even more than she knows. She's worth everything, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that she's always safe".

"She must be an amazing girl".

"She is. She's out of this world".

What a lucky girl. Danny loves her, but she doesn't love him back. I sort of envy her. At least a really great guy loves her so much.

"Danny, I'll let go now. I'll try to swim a bit", I told him, letting go of him.

He nodded and watched me carefully as I tried to swim a bit. I couldn't get the stroke properly, but at least I wasn't sinking now. He grinned when he saw me swim a bit.

We finally decided to get out of the pool. Danny got out first, and held out his hand in front of me to help me get up. I grabbed it and got up.

Unfortunately, I was so clumsy. I slipped on the tiles and crashed straight into Danny.

"Eek!!!", I screamed as we both fell down.

There was a loud 'thump!' and I was on top of him, staring into his blue eyes, and my face inches away from his. He stared back at me, turning a bit pink.

There was something different in his eyes, like a really special sparkle. This wasn't the first time I noticed that.

My heart pounded and my cheeks burned.

I felt so weightless right now. I couldn't understand the feeling, but I felt like I didn't want the moment to end. I felt like I wanted to keep looking into his eyes forever.

He suddenly laughed, breaking my trance. I snapped back into reality, my mind in its right place.

Okay. Time to get up. I got off him, finally. He still kept on laughing.

"Sorry 'bout that. I'm just so clumsy. I… I… What the heck's so funny anyway?" I asked. He was still laughing.

He finally stopped, cleared his throat and smiled. "Nah. Could you get any cuter? You're like a clumsy little duckling you know".

He chuckled. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Haha. Very funny. I feel like rolling on the tiles", I said sarcastically.

He poked me. "Seriously, I prefer watching you for entertainment than tv".

"That's it! You'd better run!" I said, chuckling. He immediately got up and ran towards the grassy area. I sprinted after him. We chased each other for a few rounds before I gave up. We were panting and really tired, so we decided to call it a draw. We were laughing so hard.

I always had a blast with Danny. The girl that he likes is incredibly lucky, and I somehow wish I was in her position.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17 (DANCE LESSONS)

Danny and I went back to our rooms. He was sleepy, so he decided to take a nap for now. I bade him goodbye.

As he shut his door, I decided to look for the girls. I knew that Dougie and Jessica were roaming around, so I guess I shouldn't disturb them. Jenny was still busy with the plans at school, so I'd better not bother her.

Well, I guess that leaves just Evangeline. She was a good companion anyway.

I walked around the mansion a bit, passing through numerous family heirlooms. Gosh this place was big.

I had already passed by the kitchen, the dining room and the living room, but I never saw Evangeline.

Just where was she?

I walked past one room, and saw a huge door. Hm… Maybe she's here.

I grabbed the knob, twisted it and went inside.

The moment I entered the room, I wanted to run away. Harry was inside, playing his drums so well. He was really good. He stopped playing when he saw me. I can't believe I interrupted him.

They say "Seek and you shall find", but I certainly did not expect to find this!

Harry looked at me, a surprised expression on his face.

Oh gosh. What should I do? I just interrupted a music genius at work! I'd better walk away now. I wanted to melt and just flow away at that moment.

"Um… Sorry for interrupting Harry. I was looking for Evangeline. I'll just… Go now", I quickly blurted out and decided to make a dash for it.

"Wait! Don't leave. It's okay, really", he replied. I turned to him, he was smiling now. He even looked relieved.

This time, my heart melted. He has such a sweet smile.

"I'm really sorry. Really. I didn't know I'd be interrupting you", I apologized as I walked over to him.  
"I wasn't working or practicing, I just did it to keep myself calm. I think Dougie locked me here a while ago when I was roaming around. He's such a goof. I guess Tom unlocked it later on, I didn't realize though. I was busy with the drums" he explained, playing with his sticks.

"Really? You think Dougie locked you up here?"

"Yeah. It was him. I heard him laugh, or more like cackle. It's just payback anyway. I did worse to him. I locked him up in a bathroom".

I laughed. "Really? You guys do that?"

"Heck yeah. It's really fun", he replied.

We both laughed. These guys were something.

"So, what is this place?" I asked, observing the room. There were bars and the walls had mirrors. I tried guessing what it could be.

"Oh. This is the Fletcher Dance Studio. A lot of his relatives love to dance, so they built this place", he explained.

Oh. A dance studio. I looked around again and saw a stereo sitting in a corner. I wondered if Tom also danced.

"Hey, let's try something", he piped up and bounded off his seat. He went to a cd player and turned it on.

Waltz music immediately filled the room. I looked at Harry with a puzzled look on my face. What was Harry thinking?

"Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?" he began to sing a verse of the song "Hero". He grinned at me.

I wanted to go crazy now. Harry was going to dance with me? No way! I felt like skipping like an idiot. I was so overwhelmed by the moment that I didn't know how to react.

"Wait. Maybe people will see us. I'm sure waltz music would make them curious", I said. Why didn't I just shut up? Darn it! Why did I say that? This was my chance already! I guess I was just so nervous.

"Nah. This place is sound-proof. You didn't hear the drums, right?" he asked.

Oh! So that's why I couldn't hear any drums playing.

"Oh okay. Let's go then", I grinned.

He held out his hand in front of me, like the way the dance should start. "Shall we, Miss Anthea?"

"Yes, Mr. Harry".

He took my hand, I placed my right hand on his shoulder. His hand was on my waist.

Now I really felt my heart racing. I can't believe this is happening. Harry and I were about to dance! I'd better not mess this up! I wasn't a good dancer, but maybe Harry would make me look good. I'm pretty sure he was a good dancer. He looked like it anyway.

We began to dance a bit. So far no mistake, but Harry seemed so tense. It's like he's scared of making a mistake with his dancing.

"I have to say something… I'm not a good dancer", he admitted, smiling.

I laughed. "Oh gosh. Really? I thought you were! Then why did you ask me to dance with you?"

"As much as I don't know how to dance, I found out years ago that I liked to dance. Plus it calms me down. I get scared when I'm all alone, so I asked you to dance with me. I feel so much better now", he explained.

I smiled warmly and nodded.

Harry was just so cute. I didn't care if we looked like amateurs, all I cared about was that I was with him.

"Ouch!" he suddenly said.

Oops. I stepped on his foot. Gosh I was such a klutz! How could I ruin this moment?

But Harry only chuckled. "It's okay. I was worse. My partner always had bruises on her foot. All the girls didn't want to dance with me. Yeah. I was that bad".

Well, I'm not like all those girls. I'd dance with Harry no matter what. Even if my feet get so many bruises.

He suddenly lost concentration on the dance and began waltzing at a pace that wasn't synchronized with the music. He grinned.

"Oops. I made a mistake", he said.

"It's okay. Wait, move your right foot like this", I suggested, demonstrating a dance movement with my right foot.

He copied the same movement perfectly, except he did it with his left foot.

"Harry, that's your left foot", I reminded, chuckling.

"Oh… What's the difference? It's still a foot", he jokes. I laughed. Harry cracks me up, seriously.

The music finally ended. We moved away from each other slowly, Harry was beaming at me.

"That wasn't so bad", I said, smiling.

"Yeah. I guess it wasn't", he replied.

We grinned at each other. I began to daydream again. This time, I imagined prom night. Harry and I were dancing in the center, all eyes were on us. The spotlight was given to us. We'd look at each other's eyes and…

"krrrrriiiinnnggg!!"

I suddenly heard the sound of a tiny bell. We both whirled around. Harry looked like he understood what was going on though.

"Oh. It's lunchtime now" he said.

Then he held my hand. I felt like a light feather now, and electricity seemed to be buzzing throughout my body. I'll never forget this moment.

"Let's get going then?" he asked.

Harry, Harry, Harry. You really make me melt inside. I don't know if my body system will ever be the same with what you're doing to me. Suddenly, Avril Lavigne's song "Hot" came into my mind. This totally described the moment. Well, probably minus the 'drive you into the corner' part.

I nodded and we proceeded to the dining room. He was still holding my hand, and I felt dizzy. Well, dizzy in love at least.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18 (THE GHOST OF THE HOUSE)

"I wonder where Tom is?" Dougie asked.

"I dunno. In any case we'd better find him", I replied. I looked around the huge hallway in the left wing of the mansion. Where was Tom? He's going to miss his lunch.

Dougie and I volunteered to look for him when we arrived in the dining table. Everyone was there, except for Tom. We thought it'd be rude to eat before our host. Danny was too sleepy, so he couldn't come with us.

Jenny was still fussing over the school plans. Evangeline seemed drowsy as well. Harry and Jessica were nervous to roam around the huge mansion. I couldn't blame them. It is elegant, but it looked like the ones in horror movies.

So here I am, with Dougie, looking for Tom. We've been walking around for quite a while. I didn't know it'd take this long. I guess I underestimated the mansion, there were so many rooms here. How on earth were we supposed to find Tom?

"You know, they said that the Fletcher mansion is haunted", Dougie suddenly said.

I could feel all the hairs on my skin stand up. I was terrified by haunted places.

Wait a second. Maybe Dougie's just kidding me. He was always pulling a prank on me. This could be another one of his practical jokes.

"Dougie, stop it. I know you're kidding" I replied while rolling my eyes.

"Nope. I'm pretty sure. There's this story of the dead pianist who once lived here. Very disturbing", he replied solemnly.

"D-Dead pianist?"

"Yup. There was this obsessed, twisted pianist who loved a girl. However, he found out that this girl didn't love him back. He got heart-broken, so he hanged himself. His spirit lives on though. He'd play one of the pieces he wrote for the girl in this same mansion from time to time".

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right Dougie. Haha. Come on. Stop this…"

I was cut short though because we suddenly heard a piano playing. I froze and the hairs on my body stood up. No way! Dougie was right? This is getting really freaky!

I looked at Dougie. He looked scared now too.

"D-Dougie? I-it's really true?" I asked him, my voice trembling.

"No! I just made that up to scare you!" he gulped.

Oh no. What's happening? We both didn't move a muscle as the piano kept on playing. Maybe the sound would die down.

Suddenly, we heard the sound of a vase crashing to the floor.

That was the final straw! We both screamed and ran. I was freaking scared, and so was Dougie. I was closing my eyes while running. Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back.

The piano started to play a different piece now. Oh man, this is getting freakier by the second!

Suddenly, Dougie grabbed my arm, stopping me from running. What's going on? I was so confused now! Weren't we supposed to run away from that ghost??

"Wait… Wait… It's not a ghost! I'm pretty sure", he assured me in a soothing voice.

"H-How can you be sure?" I asked him, my knees trembling.

"Because… We wrote this song. Wait. I think it's just Tom", he explained. He made a shush sound. We walked back slowly, trying to find out where the sound was coming from. Finally, Dougie found a room with the sign "Music Room 12" on it.

He pressed his ear against the door and nodded. "Yup. It's from here".

We opened the door, and Tom was there playing the piano. The room was huge, and a collection of different instruments were in cases.

Tom stopped playing and stared at us. We looked back.

"All this time, you were playing the piano?" Dougie asked.

"Yup. Wait, what time is it?" he said and glanced at his watch. His eyes widened and he smiled meekly at us. "Oh sorry. I didn't notice the time".

He was about to get off the piano when I stopped him.

"Wait. Where's the broken vase?" I asked.

Tom gave a puzzled expression, and then something hit him. He finally looked like he understood. "Oh. That's my mother upstairs I guess. There's an acting studio there, so maybe she was just rehearsing".

Whoa. Acting studio? They had everything. Too bad Tom's parents were too busy to see us today.

"So there's really no dead piano guy?" I asked him, checking if Dougie really did make up that story.

Tom looked at me with a surprised expression on his face. "Dead piano guy? Who the heck told you that rubbish?"

I pointed to Dougie who was howling with laughter.

"Well, it was really funny until we heard the piano", he shrugged. Tom could only smile.

We decided to walk back to the dining hall. They must've been starving while waiting for us.

We arrived and finally ate our lunch. It was really yummy. There were stuffed turkey, baked potatoes, mushroom soup and blue-berry cheesecake.

Harry seemed especially delighted with the dessert. He really did love blue-berry cheesecake.

I offered to give him my share, he looked really pleased.

"Really? You're not kidding?" he asked. Though he was obviously eager for it, he still wanted to be polite.

"Sure" I told him and pushed my plate towards him. He happily grabbed it.

"Aw thanks! You're the sweetest girl ever!' he exclaimed. I blushed and looked at Danny. He smiled and winked at me.

"Wait…" Evangeline suddenly spoke up and closed her eyes. We were all looking at her. I guess she was making another prediction.

"There's a meteor shower at 3 am", she announced enthusiastically.

We all went "Oooh".

This was great! There was actually a meteor shower.

"Well then, everyone wakes up before 3 am okay?" Tom said.

"Sure", we all replied in chorus.

I imagined how the meteor shower would turn out. I could probably place my head on Harry's shoulder while watching the meteors fall… Okay… That seemed a little too flirty.

In any case, I am excited! Who knows what could happen? I sat on my chair, smiling to myself as I imagined romantic moments with Harry under the stars.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19 (UNDER THE STARS)

My eyes suddenly opened wide. I sat up, my heart beating so fast. I looked around the room. Jessica, Jenny and Evangeline were fast asleep. Jessica was snoring so loudly.

I buried my face in my hands.

"It was just a dream, don't panic" I reminded myself. I took a deep breath. I grabbed my cell phone; it was only 1:45 am. It was still very early, even if the meteor shower was at 3 am. But somehow, I felt like I couldn't go back to sleep. My dream disturbed me.

Finally, I felt like I wanted to pee. I got out of the bed quietly, tossing the blankets. I put on my slippers and began fixing my pajamas a bit.

I opened the door, careful not to make it creak. The mansion was dark, now it really did look like a haunted one. I couldn't do anything about it though. When I gotta go, I have got to go.

I walked to the bathroom. Okay, everything was going fine. Nothing scary so far.

I suddenly heard something squeak. I shrieked and covered my eyes with my hands.

I was trembling now. Suddenly, a ray of light flashed on me. I opened my eyes and saw someone.

We both screamed. Oh my gosh! How did this guy get in here?? I immediately took off one of my slippers and hurled it at him.

"You're not getting away thief!!" I yelled and jumped on the intruder's back. We both fell on the carpet, making a loud thud.

"Ow! Ow!" he complained and pushed me. I hit the floor, and on my butt too! That's it! No one pushes me and gets away with it!

I crawled back to him and started punching his chest. He tried to shield himself using his arms.

"I'm calling the cops!", I said in between punches.

"For what?? Have you lost your mind Anthea??" he demanded.

I stood silent and gasped. "How do you know my name? You're a stalker now too? How dare you!!" I tried to slap him but he grabbed my hand before I could do so.

"Let go of me! Pervert! Let me go!" I screamed while wriggling my body. I could not restrain myself. I can't believe a burglar came in. Just where did he come from? I wanted to cry. Let go of me you jerk!

Suddenly, he pinched my left ear gently. I stopped punching him. What was going on? I saw the flash flight that was thrown away lying on the carpet, inches away from me. I grabbed it and flashed the light on the burglar's face.

I was dead wrong. It wasn't a burglar. It was Danny!

I stared at him. My eyes were wide as I realized the mistake that I did. It wasn't just a mistake, it was a huge mistake.

He was still shielding his face. I immediately got off him. I helped him sit up. He groaned.

"Danny, Danny, I'm really sorry", I apologized.

He looked at me and grinned. "Uh… That was pretty freaky but it's okay. Ouch". Then he touched his cheek. It looked bruised.

"Oh Danny! I am sorry! I'll get some ice", I said and proceeded to the kitchen. I opened the fridge when I arrived and grabbed an ice pack. I hurried back to Danny.

"Where does it hurt?" I asked him as I knelt beside him.

"Nah. It doesn't hurt anymore. You shouldn't get so worked… Ouch!" he moaned and touched his right cheek again.

I began patting the ice pack on his right cheek gently. His hair was a mess as well, so I began fixing it a bit. I didn't know he was actually blushing so much now. There was little light, so it was impossible for me to see.

"What were you doing here anyway?" I asked him while applying ice to his cheek.

"What? You don't know?" he replied, sounding shocked.

"No. What?"

"You miscalled me."

"I did?"

"Yeah. I thought you might be in trouble so I came over."

"I really did miscall you?"

"Yup. Wait. Here's my cell phone".

He handed me his cell phone and I checked. Sure enough, I did see my number miscall him. I must have accidentally called him while I was sleeping.

I gave him back his cell phone. "Sorry, I must've pressed my phone when I was asleep".

"Woah. You must've been extra restless this time", he said and smiled.

I looked at him and smiled. I wanted to see if his feet were okay when I saw something pink and fluffy on them.

"Danny… What're those?" I asked him while pointing at the fluffy, foreign objects on his feet.

He looked at them and laughed, looking really embarrassed. "I was hoping you wouldn't see those. Keep this a secret, okay? Just between you and me. Actually, I like these fluffy, pink bunny slippers. Hey, I'm not gay okay? They're just really comfy. Plus they squeak".

He stamped his foot and the slippers squeaked. So that's where the squeaking sound came from.

"It's okay Danny. I have to agree, those really are comfy", I replied and laughed.

Aw… He was really too much. He gets a beating out of me just to make sure that I was okay. He really did worry about me, and he didn't even scold me when I stopped punching him. I really, really envy that girl he likes now. She is so lucky.

"Your cheek's okay now?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Better than okay. Wait, what time is it?"

I checked the time on my cell phone. "About two in the morning". It was only two in the morning. Three o'clock seems such a long time.

"Only two? Great! Let's go out" he said and stood up. What's he thinking now?

"Okay Danny. Just where exactly are we going?" I asked him.

"The golf course", he replied.

"Really? This place has a golf course?"

"Yeah. The Fletchers love playing golf".

I should've known. By now, I shouldn't be surprised if Tom has an underground laboratory.

We walked to the main door. Danny's slippers were squeaking as we walked. He decided to grab his extra pair of slippers just beside the main door. He didn't want to his fluffy ones to get dirty.

So off we went, getting ready for our post-meteor shower get-away.

"I just can't get it in!" I exclaimed and sat on the grass huffing. I was clutching a putter.

Danny jogged towards me. "Come on. Just one last try?"

"I've tried a million times and I didn't even get one ball in", I complained, looking at the amount of balls scattered on the golf course. There was quite a bunch.

"Come on. Stand up. I'll teach you", he said gently.

I shrugged and stood up. "Okay. Show me how to do it".

He went near me and began holding my hands, ready to show me how to hit the golf ball.

I began to feel tense now. Why was I nervous? It's only Danny. I should be used to him by now. But… I don't know why I'm feeling this way.

"Okay… Relax Anthea", he said soothingly. I tried to relax.

I closed my eyes, it wouldn't go in the hole anyway. Better spare myself from the embarrassment. Suddenly, Danny made my hands swing the putter. I heard the small sound of a golf ball flying.

I couldn't resist, I just had to open my eyes. I peeked, and just in time too. I saw the golf ball go straight into the hole.

I can't believe it! It went in!

I was jumping up and down. I was even screaming. "Danny! Danny! It went in! It went in! Oh my gosh!"

I know I looked like an idiot, but I didn't care. The ball went in after a million times for crying out loud!

I hugged Danny really tightly, still jumping up and down.

He was chuckling. "Whoa. Slow down. You're that happy?"

I looked up at him and grinned widely. "Heck yeah! I finally got it in!"

"You're so adorable", he remarked and grinned.

I was so happy I got it in. Finally, after so many excruciating tries, I actually got it in.

My cell phone suddenly alarmed. I released my grip on Danny and got my phone from my pocket.

"Hey, it's already 2:30 am", I announced.

Danny nodded. "Well, let's just try one last little game. You up for a race?"

"A race? With what?" I asked.

He held up a pair of keys and pointed to the right. I turned and saw some golf carts. I seemed to like his idea.

"You're on" I agreed and he tossed one pair of keys to me. I caught it.

We both walked towards the golf carts. I got up on mine, inserted the key and turned on the engine. It roared to life. Danny did the same.

"You ready?" he asked me.

"Heck yeah. Totally", I replied. He grinned.

"Let's go. First one to reach that apple tree there wins!"

We both started to drive our vehicles. We were dashing through the golf course. Danny was only a few meters ahead of me. I wasn't about to let him win.

Suddenly, the tree was only a few meters away. The gap between us was very small. I couldn't and shouldn't lose. I tired my best to get ahead of him.

Unfortunately, at the last minute, he managed to make his vehicle go faster. So he won and reached the tree first.

We both got out of our carts. Danny grinned smugly at me when he got out. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him.

"Congratulations", I told him as he walked towards me.

"Thanks. I guess we'd better head back. We might miss the meteor shower", he replied.

We walked back. I really felt safe with Danny. I stared at the grass as we walked. Maybe I should tell him about my dream. It might help me feel better.

"Danny, I'm going to tell you a nightmare I had just a few hours ago", I said quietly as we walked.

"Is that why you woke up?" he asked.

"Yeah. You see, I was dreaming that I was walking down a dark alley. Then, someone came behind me and placed a knife on my throat. I thought it was real… It felt like it. That's why I woke up".

"Oh. I guess I can't blame you for assaulting me then".

"Oh. Sorry about that. I was just so scared by my dream. That's why I got all scared when I attacked you. I was scared that I wasn't safe anymore".

Suddenly, Danny stopped walking. He turned to me. I looked at him. He hugged me. I gasped, but relaxed. I hugged him back. He began stroking my hair gently.

"Aw Anthea. You shouldn't be scared. No one's going to hurt you as long as I'm here. I promise to keep you safe".

Then he gently kissed my forehead. My heart began to pound.

I don't know if it's possible… But am I starting to fall for Danny?

He let go of me and smiled sweetly. Then we headed back. My heart went back to normal and I tried not thinking too much of what just happened.

When we arrived, we saw that everyone was already awake and waiting outside the mansion in their pajamas and messy hairs.

"By the way, where did you get the keys?" I whispered to Danny as we approached everyone.

"Oh. I just got them. Don't tell Tom" he whispered back. I chuckled.

Finally, we all sat on the golf course. The grass was very soft. Dougie and Jessica looked really sweet together. Dougie was holding Jessica's hand.

I was between Harry and Danny. It was a perfect position.

Evangeline sat behind them. She smiled at me and I grinned back.

"Hey Anthea, the shower's starting now", Harry announced. We all looked up to the sky. Little whit dots began falling from the black sky. It was a wonderful sight.

We all made our wishes silently. I held Danny and Harry's hands. They turned to look at me.

"You guys done with your wish?" I asked them.

"Yeah", they both replied, grinning.

I wouldn't forget this night; being under the stars with the boys that I really cared about feels absolutely wicked. In the end, we all took a picture of ourselves, despite our appearances. Even if we did look messy, who cares? We had a hell of a night, and that's all that mattered.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20(STRANGER)

I was at the grocery store again. Our trip to the Fletcher Mansion finally ended. I met Tom's parents; they were an impressive-looking bunch. In fact, they even looked intimidating. I couldn't help but feel inferior whenever I was near them. They were so classy, especially Tom's mother. They scared the heck out of me when I first met them.

I was wrong though. They were actually quite nice and polite. I secretly asked myself if they were actually royalty. They could easily fit the part. Heck, they even looked like it.

I asked Tom to have me dropped off here a few hours ago when we were going home. Danny and Harry protested though. They said that I shouldn't be left alone. I laughed and told them that I did it all the time.

Luckily, they agreed in the end. It took an awful amount of effort to convince them though. They were worse than mother hens.

I needed to buy some food anyway. I haven't drunk Minutemaid for the past few days. And that's a huge sacrifice for me. It's like torture.

My cell phone beeped. I took it out and read a text message from Danny. It said:

"You okay there? You sure you don't want me to come with you? We're not that far away yet."

I sighed and smiled to myself. Oh Danny. You worry about me like I'm your kid or something. I began texted him back:

"I'm okay here. You don't need to worry".

I grabbed a basket and started to head for the beverage section. I miss Minutemaid so much right now.

My cell phone beeped once more. This time, it was a text message from Harry saying:

"Anthea, do you want me to come over there? Is someone bothering you? I swear I'll punch that guy's lights out".

I chuckled and blushed a bit. I began to text him back:

"I'm fine Harry. I'm perfectly safe".

I was already at the beverage section. I surveyed the contents of the fridge. Okay. We have Coke here… Sprite there… Pepsi at the back… Where's the good old Minutemaid?

I finally found the beverage that I loved so much placed right at the bottom of the fridge.

I smiled, absolutely delighted.

I opened the fridge and took about three bottles of it. My day suddenly seemed so bright now.

Now, what else should I do? I scanned the grocery store. The shelf full of candies immediately caught my eye. I decided to buy a few packs of Mentos. Who knows? I might need it when my breath stinks.

I don't know why, but I still felt the need to shop. I just think I'm missing something. I was wandering around the store, looking for something I might need.

Finally, the answer hit me when I saw a bag of Cheetos on the other side of the store.

There was nothing tastier than Cheetos with Minutemaid.

I hastened to get those bags of Cheetos.

Unfortunately, I was walking too fast. All of a sudden, a guy wearing a black jacket with earphones plugged to his ears emerged out of the aisle near me.

I couldn't stop myself. So I crashed into him. He looked like he wasn't looking as well. We both fell down and crashed to the floor.

My butt hit the floor. AGAIN. It hurt. How many times must I suffer accidents which always end up with my butt hitting the cold, hard floor?

"I-I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. I was just so clumsy", I apologized to the guy as I began to stand up. My items were already scattered on the floor.

Oh man. I hope this guy doesn't lose his temper. He could yell at me, and he had a good enough reason. I crossed my fingers, hoping he would just scold me a bit.

Suddenly, he lifted his hand. I looked at his face. I began to grow pale. He was no adult; he was a teenager like me. Oh no. this was worse. Really worse. Why did he have to be a teenager? He could totally beat me up.

To my surprise, he just smiled. "No. It's alright. You don't need to be concerned. I wasn't looking too".

Woah. That was a real shocker. I thought he was gonna snarl something like "Watch your way, stupid", at me.

"Wait. Let me help you pick these up", he said and began picking up my stuff.

I observed him. He had jet-black hair, brown eyes, a nicely shaped nose and wonderful lips. He looked pretty cute.

"Oh no. It's fine. I can pick them up myself", I replied and started picking up my groceries.

I didn't notice him staring at me though. I didn't know he was doing it quite a few times. I was also unaware that he was getting interested in me.

He helped me anyway. We finally finished piling the items in my basket.

"You've got… Quite a few bottles of Minutemaid there", he commented, laughing a bit. He had a cute laugh.

"Oh. I just love the stuff! Tasty and healthy", I replied.

I managed to take a glance at his Ipod touch on his hand as he began touching it. I got shocked when I saw what he was listening to.

No way! He listened to Blankside too? It thought I was the only one! This was a great band, but they weren't popular here. Their music was really good though, probably the best.

"No way! You listen to Blankside?" I asked him, excitement coloring my voice.

I was just so thrilled to meet another fan.

"Er… Yeah. They're my favorite band", he replied and grinned. He looked delighted.

"I know they're not that popular here but their music blows me away".

"I know! They're just crazy".

"Best band ever. You're cool. I'm Kyle Mattley by the way", he said as he introduced himself. He held out his hand.

"I'm Anthea Stewart", I replied, shaking his hand.

This could be the start of a really good friendship. I can't believe it. I met another Blankside fan!

Suddenly, I remembered I had to go. It was getting near lunch time.

"Oh. I have to dash now", I told him.

"Er… Sure. Wait. Where do you go to school to?" he asked.

I hesitated. Is it okay to tell him? But he did look like a nice guy.

"Orangeberry Academy", I replied.

"Okay. Can I visit you tomorrow? You know, we could chat about Blankside. It's just… I don't really meet a lot of fans".

I paused and smiled. "Sure. Why don't you come around 4? I'm off by that time. I'd love to chat".

I finally finished paying for the groceries and went home. I was really happy that I got to meet another Blankside fan. That is really rare.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21(KICK IN THE FACE)

The day swept by really fast. Today, Jessica accidentally cut her finger with a scalpel when we were dissecting a frog during Biology class. During lunch, Dougie really freaked out when he saw her cut finger.

"What?! You cut your finger?!" he asked violently and began wrapping his handkerchief around her finger.

"Eew Dougie!", she protested, much to my surprise. Right about now, she should've been happy with Dougie's sweet offer.

"What?" Dougie asked, a little hurt.

"I think you blew your nose with this", she suddenly joked.

We all laughed. Dougie punched her gently on the shoulder.

"I was just kidding Dougie. Thanks a lot", she said, finally serious.

Dougie smiled at her, looking at her with a lot of love in his eyes.

They were really, really sweet together.

The day finally ended. Jessica and I headed to our classmates.

Somehow, my mind was bugging me. It's like I forgot something today. I know deep inside that I had plans for today, but I really can't recall.

I followed Jessica to the lockers, a disturbed expression on my face. Something seriously bugged me. I couldn't pinpoint what it was though.

I racked my brains for the 'plan' that I made, but I really can't just remember.

"Hey, you okay?" Jessica asked as she piled her stuff into her locker. I guess she noticed my troubled expression.

"Oh. I just think I have plans today. I really can't remember though", I replied, snapping out of my dazed expression.

I decided to give up. There was no point in stressing out my brain. I was forgetful. I hardly believe I'll be able to remember.

We walked back. I saw Harry and Danny playing soccer just a few meters away. I blushed when Harry waved and smiled at me.

"Hey, who's that guy?" Jessica suddenly told me. She was pointing at someone.

I looked at her direction and saw the guy.

It finally hit me as I recognized the guy. I was supposed to meet up with Kyle today! So that's what I forgot.

He was wearing a green shirt and a pair of pants. He had earphones plugged to his ears again.

He looked at my direction and grinned. He waved at me and I waved back.

Jessica looked surprised. "You know this guy?" she asked me.

"Er… Yeah. I bumped into him yesterday", I explained.

Oh gosh. What was I going to do? Am I really gonna spend a whole afternoon with a total stranger? I probably should've said no.

Oh well. It might turn out okay. I should just give it a shot. If it doesn't work out, I could always say goodbye.

"Anthea, you sure about this?" Jessica asked. I could see that she seemed concerned.

"I'm okay. This won't take long. He's nice", I replied, smiling. I approached Kyle as Jessica tagged along.

"Er… Hey Kyle. You came", I greeted him.

"'Course I did. It's very rare that I get to meet another Blankside fan", he replied, grinning. "Oh. I'm Kyle by the way". He stretched out his hand towards Jessica.

Jessica shook it and smiled. "Great. I'm Jessica".

"Would it be alright for you if we go chat in a café that I know? I'll pay for everything", he offered, smiling expectantly.

Oh well. He seemed so excited. What's the harm with it anyway? I guess I could go with him.

"WHACK!"

Suddenly, a soccer ball came flying towards Kyle. It hit him straight in the face.

Jessica and I gasped. Who the heck threw that ball? Judging by the force, it looked like it was no mere accident.

Danny and Harry came jogging towards us. Jessica was too busy asking Kyle if he was okay and Kyle was still in pain. I was the only one who saw the two grin evilly. It was only for a few seconds, but they were smiling like they loved what was happening.

Danny and Harry, they're pretty childish. There was no reason to hit a soccer ball straight to Kyle's face.

I sighed. I guess I should talk to them later on. I can't have them beating Kyle up from time to time. Kyle might end up in a hospital.

"Oops. Sorry", Danny said, I could tell that he didn't really mean it.

"Er… Yeah. We didn't mean it mate", Harry added, trying his best to look sincere.

I narrowed my eyes at them. They only shrugged and grinned. Jessica was smiling a bit too.

Poor Kyle, he was still pinching his nose. I don't think there was any blood, but he did seem in an awful deal of pain.

"Kyle, you okay?" I asked as I bent down near him.

"I'm fine. Besides, it was just an accident right?" he replied. He stood up and fixed his shirt. Thank God there weren't any really serious injuries.

"Well Kyle. Let's head off to the cafe", I said cheerfully. Finally, I can actually chat about Blankside with someone.

"Yeah. I guess we'd better get going", Kyle agreed.

Suddenly, Harry and Danny laughed.

"What's funny?" I asked them. Oh please don't hit Kyle again.

"Nothing. It's just a really great coincidence", Harry answered.

Coincidence? What coincidence?

"We were just about to go to a cafe too. We've been dying to get a cup of coffee", Danny added, grinning widely.

Oh no. If I knew, this was no mere coincidence. They just wanted to come because they didn't like Kyle… But I guess it wouldn't hurt if they tagged along. They were really nice guys deep inside. They wouldn't really go too far.

I guess they could come. But I'll have to really keep an eye on these two.

"Er Kyle. Would it be okay if these two tag along? I promise they won't make much trouble", I asked him.

He agreed at once. "Okay. I guess it wouldn't hurt".

"Excellent", Harry exclaimed, a huge smile stretching across his face.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go now", Danny replied.

We waved goodbye to Jessica and began to walk towards a nearby coffee shop. So far, they haven't tried anything on Kyle… Yet.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22 (DO YA)

"Here's your order", the waitress said as she began placing cups of coffee on our table. I stared at her with a piercing look. I didn't like her. I could tell that she was trying to look cute in front of Harry.

Gosh that made me mad.

I was relieved when she finally went away. Good riddance. I seriously wanted to zap her!

"So, who's your favorite band member of Blankside?" Kyle asked after sipping his cup of coffee.

"Oh. Hm… I love Alan! His voice is really amazing!" I gushed. I was really excited now. I never knew I'd meet another Blankside fan! This was a really great opportunity.

"Really? That's a shocker. Most girls would go for Seth", he chuckled.

"Well, yeah. I have to admit, Seth is really handsome and he's got a pretty nice voice. But for me, Alan's voice is way better", I replied.

Our conversation was going so well and so smoothly. However, our nice little conversation was suddenly interrupted.

"COFFEE!!" Danny and Harry yelled.

What? It's only been about two minutes and they've already drained their cups of coffee?

"You guys are really done?" I asked them.

"Yup", Danny replied and showed me his cup. Okay. It was already drained.

"Me too" Harry added and also showed me his cup. There was nothing in it anymore.

"But you guys finished it so fast!" I exclaimed.

They both shrugged.

"We just love coffee", Danny said, smiling.

"Yeah. We're coffee addicts", Harry nodded. If I knew, they did that to interrupt Kyle and me.

Finally, a waitress showed up to fill their cups once more. I scowled when I saw which waitress it was.

Darn it. It was that waitress who was flirting with Harry. I stared at her, a stone-cold expression on my face.

I felt like my blood was boiling inside me. Couldn't I just make her disappear with one wave of my hand? I wondered if Evangeline could do that. If she did, I'd want to be her for now. It's just for this moment, so I could zap this annoying waitress away.

"Okay boys. Here's another round of coffee", she said sweetly and poured coffee on their cups again.

I nearly slapped her for what she did to Harry. Oh no. She did not do that. I can't believe she winked at Harry!

Thankfully, Harry didn't care or even bother to entertain her.

"You need anything else darling?" she asked Harry.

I nearly stood up. That's it! You don't call Harry darling and get away with it. You're going down sister!

"Actually, we don't need anything else. You can go now", I told her with a slightly snobbish tone to my voice. She was really getting on my nerves.

She looked irritated and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Excuse me miss, but I was asking this handsome fellow over here. Not you".

What the-?? How dare her!! I seriously wanted to strangle her now.

"Sheesh. Just do what you're told okay?" Danny shot back at her.

I looked at Danny in disbelief. Woah. That was really cool.

"Yeah. I pretty much don't need anything" Harry piped in.

"You sure honey? Well, can I ask you one favor?" she asked, a sugary-sweet tone layering her voice.

Harry shrugged. "What is it?"

She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil from her pocket. "You're a cute one, so can I ask for your number sweetie?"

I felt like a volcano just erupted inside of me, and it was spewing lava and ash in all directions. How dare she do that?! She is such a flirt! I saw about to stand up and slap her when Harry spoke up.

"Miss! How dare you insult my girlfriend right in front of me?" he exclaimed and pointed at me.

I suddenly felt like a rock hit my head. Hard. Did Harry just call me his girlfriend?

"What?? This potato is your girlfriend?" the waitress asked, apparently not believing Harry's story. Jeez. I am so not a potato you dimwit!

"Yeah! Right honeybunch?" he said to me and winked.

I guess I'll have to go along with this if it makes the waitress go away.

"Yeah. We've been… Going out for some time now" I added, laughing nervously. Danny was laughing a bit too. Only Kyle seemed clueless among us. He was staring at me with a puzzled and confused expression on his face.

The waitress was stunned into silence. Hah. Serves her right for being a flirty snob.

Thank God she bought out story.

"Hmph! Fine", she huffed as she turned her back, walking in furious strides.

Harry and I stared at each other for a while before we both erupted into laughter.

The situation was funny, but really wished that all of this was real.

Kyle had a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Wait. You guys are a couple?"

We both laughed again. Harry shook his head. "Nah. We were just pretending to get that annoying waitress off our hands", he explained.

"Oh. I see", Kyle nodded, finally understanding. We continued drinking our cups of coffee.

Suddenly, the speakers around the walls of the café began to come to life as an announcement began to air.

"All right. Today's Random Karaoke Afternoon. Sooo…. You folks know what that means!" a guy in a suit announced over the microphone. He was at the center of the place, on the small stage.

Suddenly, everyone in the café grew excited and began to clap their hands. Kyle looked pretty excited too.

Wait a second. Just what the heck is 'Random Karaoke Afternoon'?

"Kyle, just what the heck is going on?" I asked Kyle.

"Oh. The café holds this activity twice a week. You don't know exactly when though, they just surprise you. It could happen on a Monday, Tuesday, etcetera. Then they pick someone from the crowd, and that person sings in the middle over there at the stage. It's really fun", Kyle explained and pointed to the small and round wooden stage in the middle that the announcer was just standing on.

"So, how do you pick the singer?" Danny asked him, intrigued by the unusual activity.

"Just watch" Kyle smiled at him.

Suddenly, a kid came up to the front. She was wearing a red dress and her blonde hair was wonderfully braided. She began roaming around the place, a playful smile on her angelic face. She began searching for the singer of the day, scanning the place carefully.

Oh. So she was going to pick.

I suddenly began to feel the jitters.

I was hoping… No. Scratch that; wishing that she wouldn't pick me.

She was getting closer now, and I was getting more nervous by the second.

She went near to our table. Heck no. Please oh please don't pick me. My legs felt like they were turning to jelly. I cannot sing in front of this audience.

She smiled when she saw us. She was definitely going to our table. I crossed my fingers. Please don't be me.

To my relief, she picked Danny. She tapped his shoulder and smiled. "I choose him", she announced enthusiastically in a tiny voice.

Danny looked shocked. He was so unprepared for this. However, he decided to just go through with it. He grinned at me as he began to stand up and go on stage.

"Go Danny!" Harry, Kyle and I cheered as he got on the stage. He grinned at us.

He was finally on stage, and all eyes were on him. Knowing Danny, I knew he'd do a spectacular job. He had such a wonderful voice that simply blows my socks off.

"Alright. So what're you gonna sing, sonny?" the announcer asked him.

"Oh. I'm… Gonna sing an original song of mine which I wrote with my friends", he replied, grinning widely. His teeth looked so perfect.

Everyone applauded. "Okay. Here's your guitar" the guy with him said and handed him an acoustic guitar. Danny thanked him, sat on the chair in the middle and began strumming a bit.

"I'm ready", Danny said after practicing a bit. I was getting excited. I can't believe I'll get to hear him sing soon.

"Okay. Go now".

Danny closed his eyes first. Then he opened them again. He turned to look at my direction, and smiled very sweetly and gently at me.

At that moment, my heart melted. There was something in Danny's eyes that made me feel so warm inside. The feeling was really overwhelming.

"1,2,3,4", he began to say. Then he strummed his guitar and began to sing:

"Do ya, do ya, do ya love me?

Do you need a little time?

Do ya, do ya, do ya want me?

Oh to hold you when you cry?

Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya love me?

Don't wanna hear you say maybe

Won't you tell me do you love me?

Coz I wanna know

Yeah

I making a list of things that I miss

Whenever we're far apart.

The way that you kiss, the taste of your lips

I'm telling you from the heart.

Coz baby, I just wanna know.

Do ya, do ya, do ya love me?

Do you feel it in your bones?

Do ya, do ya dream about me?

Oh, when you're sleeping on your own?

Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya love me?

Don't wanna hear you say maybe.

Won't you tell me do ya love me?

Woah.

Do you really love me?

So tell me do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya love me,

Coz I wanna know".

Throughout the song, Danny would glance at me from time to time. Then he would smile so sweetly. It even felt like he was singing to me.

I loved listening to his smooth and beautiful voice. I'd love his voice to be the soundtrack on my Ipod. He was really amazing, like he was born to sing.

I couldn't help but develop a small crush on him at that moment. In fact, maybe it wasn't even small. How could I not? I was remembering all the moments that I spent with him that were really sweet.

I knew that I had sweet moments with Harry too, but the feeling was different from what I felt when I was with Danny.

I really don't know how I feel anymore. I hope I can figure out my feelings soon without anyone getting hurt.

Danny finally finished the song.

The café was dead silent. Suddenly, a clap emerged from the crowd and the rest followed suit. Everyone stood up and clapped their hands.

Woah. Danny actually got a standing ovation.

I stood up and applauded too. He really did a great job. I was so proud of him now.

Danny was really blushing now. Aw… He was so cute.

Suddenly, a group of girls approached him, holding up pieces of paper and ball pens. They were asking for his autograph. A girl even squealed when Danny began signing her paper.

I also saw some taking pictures of him. Wow. He was like a celebrity now.

We all laughed in the table. Aw… Danny must feel really embarrassed now.

When things started to calm down, Danny came back to our table. He was as red as a tomato.

"So, how was the limelight?" Harry asked, smiling at him.

"Er… It's okay I guess", Danny replied, still feeling embarrassed.

"You were good man. Seriously", Kyle complimented him.

Thank God he told that to Danny. Maybe things would get less hostile from now on.

Danny grinned at him. "Sure. Thanks a lot".

"Whatever. I could do better", Harry joked and we all laughed. Danny poked Harry.

We all chatted for a while. Danny and Harry began to be a bit nicer to Kyle. They were friendlier now. I loved chatting with Kyle, at least I found out a lot about my favorite band from him.

We all decided to head for home after being in the café for a while. We were walking in the streets. We were all pretty happy. However, we didn't know an awful incident would happen; and in that incident, someone was going to get really hurt.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23 (FIGHT)

We continued walking down the streets. Kyle decided to go to the grocery store, so we waved goodbye to him.

"You know, he's not really that bad", Harry admitted, kicking a pebble on the pavement.

"Yeah. I kinda feel sorry that we kicked the ball straight to his face", Danny chuckled.

So they did kick that ball.

"See guys? He totally came through" I said. Thank goodness things were fine.

The two exchanged expressions and laughed. Then they shook their heads. What? I thought they were already on friendly terms with Kyle.

"Nah. I still don't trust him" Danny shrugged.

"Yeah. Me too. I'm still keeping an eye on him", Harry added.

I sighed. Oh well. Sooner or later they'd probably have the heart to be friends with Kyle.

We passed by a playground. I saw a water fountain, and I began to feel really thirsty.

"Wait up guys", I told them and they stopped in their tracks. "I'm just going to drink from the water fountain over there."

They both nodded. I hurried to the water fountain. I was jumping for joy deep inside. I could finally quench my thirst that's been burning my throat.

I bent down, pressed a button and began drinking the water coming from it. It really was refreshing.

Suddenly, I could see that my shadow in front of me grew bigger. That's weird. I could swear it was quite smaller the last time I saw it.

Then the unexpected happened: someone grabbed my arms from behind me. The person pulled my hair and he placed something hard against my throat.

I heard a clicking sound, and realized that the person had placed a gun against my throat.

I screamed but then the person covered my mouth with a handkerchief.

"Shut up, will you? Jeez. Can't I get a victim that doesn't scream?" he said in a gruff voice.

Oh no. I was being held up. My whole person was shaking by the unpleasant turn of events. Danny and Harry began to run towards me, but they backed off when the man pointed the gun towards them.

"Back off! Or else I fire this thing!" the man snarled at them.

Danny and Harry's eyes were burning with pure rage. They couldn't take their eyes off us.

"I'll just get her money and leave", the man said slowly. He was still pointing the gun to my throat. Then, a menacing smile played on his lips. "Then again, she's a pretty one. Maybe I'll have a little fun".

"You get off her you creep!!" Harry bellowed at him.

The man pointed the gun towards Harry. "Hey, slow down. I just might fire this at you".

Tears began pouring down my cheeks. I was scared to death now. What's going to happen to me? I began to wish that all of this was just a sick nightmare. I was wishing with all my might that I would wake up from all of this.

I looked at Danny. He was watching me with such a sad expression. He looked like he was being tortured inside.

"You'll be fine… I swear", he mouthed to me.

When he said this, I tried to calm down. Despite being trapped in a scary and twisted situation, this was no time to cry. I should clear my head and find a way to escape. I can't just keep on sobbing. Darn it. What should I do to get free?

The man began playing with my hair. Goose pimples began breaking throughout my skin. Danny looked absolutely outraged.

"Keep your filthy hands away from her!!" he yelled. The man only laughed. What a jerk!!

I couldn't take this anymore. I lifted my right foot and quickly kicked the guy in the crotch.

He howled in pain as I slapped his wrapped arms around me. I fell to the ground. Yes! I was free now!

At least that's what I thought.

Suddenly, the man got up and hit my head with the gun hard. When it hit me, everything seemed so hazy… Then it turned dark. A sharp pain began spreading throughout my body and my head hurt the most. I felt dizzy, and my vision became blurry. My whole body was giving up now. I held the back of my head and saw blood on my hand. After that, I fell unconscious.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24 (RESCUE)

I finally woke up from my sleep, but my eyes were still closed. I didn't want to open them just yet. I could still feel the throbbing in my head. Ouch. That was gonna leave a mark on my memory as one of the most painful things I had to go through.

The events of the afternoon began replaying in my mind: the creep, Danny and Harry looking angry, me kicking the creep in the crotch and then falling into utter unconsciousness.

I suddenly heard a familiar voice sobbing beside me.

Oh my gosh. It was my mom.

I immediately opened my eyes and slowly sat up. I was in a hospital room and a bandage was wrapped around my head. Sure enough, my mom was sitting on a chair next to me. Her long black hair was tied neatly. She was dabbing a handkerchief on her red, swollen eyes.

Oh man. I felt so sorry for my mom. She doesn't deserve to be so worried and depressed.

"M-Mom?" I said slowly. She gasped and turned to my. She broke into tears once again.

"Oh darling!" she exclaimed and flung her arms at me, locking me into a tight embrace.

"You okay now dear?" she gently asked me.

I nodded, crying a bit. "I'm fine mom. I'm just really scared".

I heard the door knock and my mom slowly let me go. She wiped her tears and finally started to smile a bit.

A familiar face entered the room. It was a man with short brown hair, blue eyes and a familiar yellow Livestrong wristband on his left hand.

It was my dad.

He sighed and hugged me tightly. He looked so relieved to see me finally awake. "You're fine now. No one's going to hurt you", he said quietly.

I was finally calm now. My family was the best cure for any sad and scared feeling that I had. The door clicked open again, and I saw Kristoph slowly enter the room.

He gasped when he saw me, then he broke into tears and ran towards me. My dad let go of me, allowing my baby brother to hug me.

"I… I thought you were dead… You wouldn't wake up… I was s-s-so sad", he sniffed.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry", I said gently to him while stroking his brown hair. He let go of me after a few minutes.

"By the way, how long was I out?" I asked.

"You were out for about three hours now. We panicked when we saw blood on your head. Thankfully, it wasn't that serious. It was just a little blood loss, that's all", my dad answered.

Wait. Oh. So that's what happened. The jerk hit my head. But what happened to Danny and Harry?

"Dad, are Danny and Harry okay?" I asked him.

"They're fine but Danny's nose bled", he replied.

"What?? Why?? What happened to him??"

"He tried to pull off that scoundrel from you when he hit your head. His nose got punched in the process".

"Aw… Oh my… How about Harry?"

"He's fine. Just a sprained ankle".

"What?? How come?"

"Don't get mad okay? I'm going to tell you the truth".

"Okay dad".

"Well, you see… He tried to carry you when the ambulance came. But I guess you were too heavy. He tried his best to carry you, but he lost his balance due to your weight. So he got his ankle sprained. Don't worry, they're both in better condition now".

I felt like really crying now. Danny and Harry got hurt because of me… I know it's not really my fault, but I wouldn't want these two to ever get hurt.

Suddenly, the creep came back to my mind. I nearly forgot about him.

"What happened to the guy who hit me?" I asked him.

"He's in police custody now. You guys are lucky Tom's bodyguards came".

"Yes. You were still unconscious. Tom was just driving pass you and he happened to see the incident. He came in time too, the guy was about to fire his gun".

Oh my gosh… I definitely have to thank Tom, he's done so much for me.

Suddenly, the door opened again and a nurse came in.

"Excuse me. Dr. Stewart? Your patient is ready for his check-up now. He's waiting upstairs. Mrs. Stewart, you're called to report to the Emergency Room. A mother's giving birth", she reported.

My parents immediately stood up and nodded. The nurse went away.

"Well honey, we have to go now. Come on Kristoph, come with mommy. We'll come back later. Sleep for a while", my mom told me after kissing my forehead gently. Kristoph smiled at me and waved goodbye.

"Rest okay? You need it", my dad said, smiling as well. I nodded, smiling back.

When they left, I closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly. After that, I fell asleep.

Suddenly, I heard someone laugh a bit. What's funny? Then, something weird was going on. Someone was pinching my cheeks.

"Dougie! Stop it for Pete's sake. She's sleeping", I heard Jessica say.

"Aw Jess. Come on. She looks really funny. You can't deny that she looks funny", Dougie explained. The pinching finally stopped. Thank God.

"Wait… You're right. Let me have a go", Jessica suddenly said, and began pinching my cheeks as well. She began chuckling.

"I'll get a camera!" Dougie snickered.

Okay. Time to wake up. I wasn't about to let them take a goofy picture of me.

I sat up. I narrowed my eyes at the two. They only laughed.

"Aw… Why'd you have to wake up?" Dougie whined, chuckling a bit.

"Duh. I wasn't about to let you guys make a fool out of me", I replied, smiling.

These two were really whacky, but I'm glad that they're here anyway. At least my day would seem a whole lot brighter despite what's happened.

The door opened again to reveal three figures coming in. I gasped when I saw them.

Danny's nose had a bandage on it. Harry was wearing shorts that were a few inches below his knee and he wore slippers I could see that a bandage was wrapped around his left ankle. Tom was also hear, smiling a bit at me.

"Hey, you're up", Danny exclaimed, looking positively cheerful despite his nose injury.

"Yeah. Glad to see that you're fine now", Harry added, trying to look enthusiastic even if his leg was killing him.

I couldn't take this. This was too much. They were trying so hard to be cheerful, even if the pain was too much.

Before I could stop myself, my eyes were already brimming with tears.

Danny and Harry rushed to me, looking worried once more. I saw Harry wince a bit when he started to walk, but he just shrugged it off.

"Aw Anthea… Don't cry. Don't cry", Danny comforted me. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"It's alright. It's not your fault, really", Harry said as he held my hand.

"I… I… I just can't… Aw. I feel like it's my fault that you guys hurt", I sobbed a bit.

They suddenly laughed out loud.

"Really Anthea, this is nothing. We've been through worse", Harry assured me.

"Yeah. You don't need to worry, seriously. And we'd do anything to keep you safe. All you have to worry about now is your health", Danny added, smiling.

I sniffed and tried to control my tears. I guess crying wouldn't do anything. I finally calmed down, and the tears finally stopped.

I rubbed my eye and smiled a bit. Danny and Harry were beaming at me. I'm glad I finally calmed down, at least I felt so much better now.

Suddenly, I hiccupped. Everyone was silent. Dougie was silently snickering at me.

"Hic-hic! Oh man. I have the hiccups. Hic-hic", I said in between hiccups. Tom handed me a bottle of water.

"Thanks Tom. Thanks Tom, for everything. You really saved my neck. I really owe you one", I said to him, my voice filled with gratitude.

"It's okay Anthea. Anything for you", he replied sweetly.

I drained the whole bottle in a few gulps. That managed to cure my hiccups. They were all smiling at me. I loved this feeling. Nothing was better than this.

A rapping noise suddenly came from the window. I was so shocked that I fell from my bed.

I didn't fall to the ground though, because Danny managed to catch me before I could hit the floor.

I looked at him, he was chuckling at me. His blue eyes looked so enchanting right now. My heart felt like it was sprinting.

Whenever I really looked into Danny's eyes, I couldn't help but feel so warm and safe. With him, I felt like I shouldn't be so scared now.

"Slow down. It's just a robin", he grinned. I looked at the window. Oh yeah, there was a robin pecking at the window. I guess I was just really jumpy.

Danny carried me back to the bed, gently lowering me down.

"Thanks Danny", I told him.

The door opened again. Who could it be this time?

This time, my mom entered the room. Everyone moved away, making way for her to come to me.

"Hey dear. Your dad and I were just talking. It's just not safe anymore. We're already going to pick you up from school. We're also going to drive you there. But we're busy sometimes. We were wondering, do you know someone who could walk you to school?" she asked.

I thought about it. I guess it was a good idea. No way was I letting that incident happen again. Maybe Danny would walk me to school.

The next thing that happened shocked me though.

"I'll walk her to school Mrs. Stewart", a voice said, raising his hand.

We all turned to see who it was. I was so surprised. Dougie was the one who volunteered.

"Dougie? Really?" I asked in disbelief. If I knew, he grabbed this opportunity to bug me everyday. Well, what could I do? At least someone was with me whenever I go to school.

"Yeah. Really. I'd be more than happy to", he replied, grinning widely.

"Thanks Dougie. Well, I have to dash. Bye now. Anthea, I'll come back for you" my mom said and bade me goodbye.

After that, the rest of them had to go too. They all waved goodbye. Dougie winked at me as he left, I only grinned.

Danny was the last to leave the room.

"Danny, you're still here?" I asked him.

"Well… I suddenly thought of something. I still have to treat you to a sundae", he answered.

Oh yeah. I nearly forgot about that.

"So… Just tell me when okay? It's not like it's going to be a date or anything. I lost a bet. And… It could be fun", he said, blushing a bit.

How could I say no? It was Danny after all.

"Sure Danny. I'd love to", I replied, smiling warmly.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25 (WEDDING?)

I finally came out of the hospital after a few days. There wasn't anything serious about my injuries anyway.

I had to be absent from school for the whole week. Danny stopped by every afternoon to tell me the homework and the lessons. He was really patient with me. My parents definitely liked him a lot. Even Kristoph liked him. The two were always playing.

Everything was pretty much back to normal. Kyle, Evangeline and Jenny also visited me once in a while. They were so worried when they heard about what happened to me. But I assured them that I was perfectly fine.

Today was a sunny Saturday morning. I was combing my hair in front of the mirror.

I looked at my outfit. It seemed perfectly fine to me. I was wearing a brown and a pair of jeans. I began powdering my face.

Danny and I decided to go out for sundae today. I was definitely craving for the stuff right about now.

I was finally satisfied with my appearance. I decided to go down stairs.

Kristoph was in the living room, lying on his belly. He was watching tv.

My parents were in the dining room, reading newspapers.

I sat down on the sofa, waiting for Danny.

Finally, there was a knocking on the door. I opened it to see a Danny grinning outside.

He was wearing a blue shirt and a pair of loose jeans. He looked quite handsome today.

"You ready to go?" he asked me.

"Totally. Bye mom! Bye dad! Bye Kristoph!" I called before we went away. They all waved goodbye to me.

We walked along pavement. I just realized now that I haven't been riding on buses or taxis. I guess I got used to walking.

"By the way Danny, where exactly are we going to eat?" I asked him.

I was really curious. After all, I was pretty hungry now.

"Oh. We're going to eat in Ice Cream Monster", he replied.

I suddenly began to jump and skip happily.

"Oh my gosh! Really? Ice Cream Monster? Oh my gosh Danny! You picked the perfect place!" I exclaimed to him. I was so happy, I really wanted to eat in that joint. I just never had the chance.

My day was so much brighter now. it seemed super perfect.

"Hey, slow down. You really love ice cream that much?" Danny chuckled.

"Sorry. I just miss the stuff so much", I replied, grinning.

"Haha. Oh my gosh. You've got something on your nose", he chuckled.

Oh man. Not again. I can't believe I got ice cream on my nose once again.

I wiped it with a tissue on the table and grinned widely at him.

We were at the mall already eating at the Ice Cream Monster.

Danny had barely touched his sundae but I was already pigging out.

He finally dug a spoon onto his sundae and began eating his ice cream.

"Wait. Watch this", he said. He got the cherry from his sundae popped it into his mouth. He began to move the cherry inside his mouth.

Oh. I get it now. He was trying to tie a knot with the cherry. I don't know if he could manage it though.

Much to my surprise, he stuck out his tongue and there lay the cherry in a perfect knot.

"Oh my gosh Danny! You tied that in less than a second!" I said. That was really impressive.

Now I know another fact about Danny. He was a great kisser.

"Nah. Not really", he replied, a bit embarrassed.

We finally finished eating our sundae. I was really full now.

"You wanna roam around a bit?" he asked me.

I nodded.

We roamed around the mall. Danny seemed to love being in the record bar. I guess he just loved music so much.

We were eating corn by now. All of a sudden a guy in a pink shirt began fussing in front of us.

"Where are the models?!?! Carrie!! Carrie!! What happened to Jill and Tyler??" he was yelling over the phone.

We both stared at him.

"Someone's not in a good mood today", Danny whispered to me.

The guy began to yell again. Gosh he was really in distress now. I kind of pitied him. He seems so stressed out. I managed to figure out that his models haven't showed yet.

He sighed and put the phone in his pocket. He turned around to face us. After that, his eyes began to widen and sparkle.

"You two!! You're perfect!!!" he exclaimed all of a sudden.

Danny and I exchanged expressions. Was he pointing at us?

"You talking to us?" Danny asked him.

"Yes!! Yes!! You two! Come with me!" the man replied, dragging us by holding our hands.

"Wait! What're we going to do?" I asked the man. Okay. What was going on? Why were we being dragged away?

"Keep quiet! Monique! The models are here! Well… Not real models, but they'll be perfect. It's time to fix them up!" he said to his phone again.

Oh dear. What's happening? Just what exactly were we going to wear? We're going to be models?

I sat on the chair, looking at my poofy dress.

I can't believe I'm wearing a wedding gown.

It turns out that this guy was a designer for wedding wardrobes. There was supposed to be a photo shoot for his designs today. But the models never showed up. No wonder he was panicking.

So, Danny and I were the replacements. I personally didn't mind at all. I've always envied the brides walking down the aisle, wearing their gorgeous gowns as the eyes of the crowd were on them.

Danny was still being fixed up in the other room. We were in a photo studio. The man promised to pay us when all of this was over. I wasn't after the money. I just loved getting the chance to wear a lovely gown like this.

Finally, someone entered the room. It was a girl.

"It's time to go now", she told me.

I nodded and stood up. It was really lucky that the gown perfectly fit me.

It was a rather cute though simple gown. It was a tube with a ribbon tied around my waist. The material was really soft and the color of white was impeccable.

I haven't seen myself in the mirror, but judging by the gown, I knew I looked pretty good. Well, all credits go to the gown.

I got out of the powdering room and into the photo studio. There were lights, props and a lot of chairs. There were a few photographers in the room. It was a pretty big and nice studio. I saw a door to my left. I think that's where Danny freshened up.

The door to my left opened, and revealed a breath-taking sight.

Danny was wearing a really nice suit. The color of black was sleek and very appropriate. The suit fit his body perfectly. In fact, it managed to make him look so fit.

I saw his face, and he was really handsome. His bangs were nowhere to be found. I guess they combed it away. He seemed different, but extremely handsome. I could now see his blue eyes without his bangs in the way. Gosh I loved his eyes!

He suddenly looked at me and grinned, showing his perfect teeth.

I was probably melting inside. Danny looked positively charming. My heart skipped a beat.

He walked over to me.

"You look really beautiful in that gown. It suits you", he complimented me.

"You don't look so bad yourself. You look amazing", I replied. I was blushing a bit after his compliment. He was simply too sweet.

Finally, the designer entered the room.

"Okay! Okay! Let's start people!" he called to the people on the set. The crew nodded and began going to their places. He looked at us, and smiled widely.

"Oh my! You two look heavenly. You're just like a married couple!" he exclaimed.

Danny and I exchanged expressions and blushed.

"Okay! Let's start!" the designer announced.

The photo shoot went okay. The designer seemed really happy with our poses, even if we never had any experience in modeling. He said that we were naturals.

"Okay, okay. You two are absolutely fabulous! I just need one really sweet picture. You boy! Yes, you! Kiss the bride on the cheek!" he commanded Danny.

At first Danny looked surprised, but he decided to obey instead. After all, there was nothing he could do.

So, he went near me. He bent his head and kissed my right cheek.

The photographers began snapping shots with their ultra-cool cameras.

I was really red now. Danny's kiss on my cheek was so soft and gentle. It also made me feel weightless.

"Perfect! The bride is doing well too! Keep on blushing!" the designer said excitedly.

Oh man. I was that red?

After a couple more shots, the photo shoot was over.

Danny smiled at me when it was all over. He seemed a tad bit red too.

We decided to change back into our clothes. I headed for the changing room.

The gown was hard to get off, but I managed in the end after constant struggles.

I put on my tee and pair of jeans again. Someone knocked on the door. I carefully placed the gown on a rack. I wasn't about to have it torn, even in the slightest bit.

"Come in" I finally said.

A woman with curly brown hair wearing a blue blouse and skirt came in. I recognized her. She was one of the persons who were on the set a while ago.

"You okay now dear? We'd just like to thank you for filling in for our models. We're terribly sorry though that we had to interrupt your date with your boyfriend", she said to me.

Woah. They thought that Danny was my boyfriend?

I laughed a bit.

"Oh no. He's not my boyfriend. We're just really good friends", I explained hurriedly.

The woman looked shocked, as if the whole world had turned upside down. "Really?? But you guys look perfect together! Aw… That's a shame. But seriously, you guys really do look like a married couple".

I really blushed now. I never thought that Danny and I actually looked good together. Jessica once told me, but I didn't believe her.

But now, I'm not so sure anymore. I thought I really liked Harry, but I'm feeling something for Danny too. And it's surprisingly different from what I feel for Harry.

"Oh yes. Before I forget, Paul wants to see you guys", she told me.

"Okay. Who's Paul?" I asked her.

"The designer of course".

We met up with Paul. Danny had already changed back to his normal clothes. Paul was thanking us so much. He was actually a nice guy once he calmed down. He gave us fifty dollars each.

He also remarked on how Danny and I looked so good together. Danny and I could only blush. He was also quite surprised to find out that we were just friends.

"You two are just perfect together. I'm shocked you aren't together", he gushed.

We only laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Suddenly, a woman gave a long brown envelope to Paul. He thanked the woman and pulled out the contents of the envelope. They were the photos of our shoot.

Paul examined the photos and smiled brightly. "These are perfect! My gowns and suits are sure to sell. Thank you guys so much. What's your name?" he turned to me.

"I'm Anthea Stewart", I answered politely.

"How about you?" he asked Danny.

"I'm Danny Jones" Danny replied.

"Oh okay. Anyway, Danny, Anthea, to show you my immense gratitude, I'm going to give each of you some photos. I have enough anyway", Paul told us and handed us each the same photograph.

Danny took his and carefully held it so I could see it as well.

The picture shocked me a bit.

It was the shot when Danny kissed my cheek. I had to admit, it did really look like a sweet picture.

I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Not so bad, it's pretty nice" Danny remarked, grinning at me.

I smiled too. "I guess so. I'll definitely keep this". I looked at my copy as well.

"Thanks" Danny told Paul.

"And if you guys need me for designing, here's my card. I owe you guys one" Paul said handing me a card.

"Thanks a lot Paul" I told him.

"No biggie. I have to go now. Bye", Paul said and walked out of the studio.

Danny and I exited the studio. We eventually got out of the mall too. This time, we took a taxi going home. We were pretty tired from the shoot.

"The pictures don't look so bad you know", Danny told me.

"Yup. You make a handsome groom Danny", I complimented him.

"Thanks, and you make a really charming bride", Danny replied.

We finally arrived at my house. Danny insisted on paying for the cab. I thanked him, it was a sweet gesture. I went up to my room and placed the photograph in a frame. That was a picture I was definitely going to keep.


	26. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER 26 (THE IRISH SISTERS)**

"Dougie, give me back my fountain pen", I whined, tugging on Dougie's shirt.

He laughed and stuck out his tongue. "Nope. Dance first".

I kept on tugging his shirt. He really wouldn't budge. He absolutely thinks that teasing me is such an enjoyable hobby.

An idea suddenly came into my mind. Maybe he might give my pen back if I do this.

"Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, Douggiieeee", I pleaded him, tugging on his shirt violently.

"Okay! Just quit tugging on my shirt!" he finally gave in and handed back my fountain pen.

I grinned widely when he gave it back. It worked. The best way to get back your stuff from someone is to bug him until he gives it back. It's very effective. With Dougie, it works like a charm.

Today, I was going back to school. My parents couldn't drive me to school today, so Dougie had to walk me there. I asked Jessica if she was bothered by the fact that Dougie was going to walk me to school practically all the time now.

She laughed, as if I said that pigs could fly.

"Really Anthea, I don't mind. Good luck with Dougie though, he might bother you all the time" she warned me, laughing a bit on the phone as I talked to her the other day.

Well, Dougie was acting really childish now. I don't mind though. At least I wasn't bored. He made my morning pretty fun.

"You know, Danny's Irish cousins are coming over today", Dougie suddenly said.

What? Danny's Irish cousins are coming over? This is fantastic!

"Really? That's great! I'd love to meet them!" I said excitedly.

Danny was pretty much a sweetheart, so I guess that his cousins were going to be just as sweet as he is.

"The cousins of Danny, are they boys?" I asked Dougie.

I wondered how that would look like, a few mini Dannys. Aw… That would be a really sweet sight.

"Nope. They're two girls. They're Nicole and Pamela. They're Irish", he answered.

Oh. Girls. I bet they'll be sugary sweet and cute.

"Do they come here often?" I inquired.

"Yeah. Loads of times. They're just our age. They come here every year since Danny was in the second grade", he replied.

"Oh. I see. They're nice right?"

"Kinda. Pamela's the really sweet one. Nicole's nice but she can be mean if she hates the person".

"Really? That's weird".

"Haha. Well, I thought you might think that. After all, Danny is a pretty nice guy".

Yup. I had to agree. Danny was the sweetest guy around.

Nevertheless, I still felt excited to meet Danny's cousins; especially Pamela. Dougie seemed so excited when he described her.

We finally reached school. I thanked Dougie when we had to go to our respective classrooms.

Our first period for today was English. Mrs. Hopkins said that we were going to discuss our project today. I wonder what it was though.

"Okay class. For your class project, you will all present the play 'Sleeping Beauty' in front of the gradeschool children of Orangeberry Academy" Mrs. Hopkins announced.

Woah. So this was our class project: a play.

"Danny, do you guys usually do this?" I asked Danny.

"Yup. It's pretty normal. Last year we did 'Cinderella'", he answered.

I nodded. "So what was your part?"

"The Prince".

"Really Danny? That's amazing! I would've loved to see you! I bet you looked really dashing. Wow. Danny played a Prince. I wish I could've seen him.

Danny blushed a bit.

"Nah. Not really", he replied, pretty embarrassed.

"This year, Danny's the Prince. Again", Mrs. Hopkins announced.

The whole class smiled. I guess they weren't that surprised. I was excited to see who the Princess would be.

"And for the role of Princess Aurora… A lot of teachers recommended… You Anthea", Mrs. Hopkins grinned at me.

The world suddenly felt like it crashed down on me.

I was going to play Princess Aurora?? I was only new here. Can I really handle a big role like this?

"OH!! No… No… No… I can't do this" I protested.

I was so not going to act in front of a massive audience.

"Come on Anthea. Why not? You were great when we did a mini-play of Romeo and Juliet. You were a fantastic Juliet" Mrs. Hopkins insisted.

The whole class began to join in.

"Yeah Anthea. You'd be perfect".

"Come on Anthea, you'll do fine".

"It would be a waste if you didn't".

Everyone was insisting that I play the role. Anthea, Anthea, Anthea. The voices were all messing up in my head.

"Okay. Fine", I finally gave in. when everyone was insisting so hard, I just had to give in. Well, it's okay I guess. It IS for the benefit of the class after all. This was no time to be selfish. Besides, I guess they wouldn't insist so much if they didn't trust me.

I guess it wouldn't hurt. I was with Danny after all for rehearsals.

"Alright. That's settled. You and Danny start rehearsing tomorrow. Jessica? You're done with the script?" Mrs. Hopkins asked. Jessica stood up from her seat, holding a script.

"Jessica? You write? I whispered to her as she passed by.

"Yup I do", she whispered back, grinning.

She handed the script to Mrs. Hopkins.

"Thank you Jessica. I'll have this checked. Now, we proceed to our lesson", Mrs. Hopkins continued.

The day flew by quickly as always. Everything seemed so fast. Harry, Tom and Harry seemed so happy when they found out that I got the lead role. They were so supportive.

I still couldn't believe that I was going to play the role of Princess Aurora. I don't know if I'm going to like it.

I'll just see how things turn out tomorrow.

"Danny, your cousins are coming over here later?" I asked Danny as we walked around school a bit. Classes were over, so we were going home now.

"Yup. Who told you that?" he asked.

"Dougie told me", I said, pointing to Dougie who was just behind us.

"I can't wait to meet Nicole again", Tom said excitedly while walking alongside us.

Danny snorted. "Really? I thought you said she could be pretty mean at times".

Tom shrugged. "That was before. We chatted on the internet last week. She was nice for a change."

"Well, I really wanna see Pamela. She's really nice and fun", Dougie joined in.

"Aw… Pamela. She's an unforgettable one", Harry said as he walked beside Tom.

We were all walking towards home. I was pretty excited to meet Danny's cousins. I'm a little scared of Nicole but hopefully, she'll be nice to me.

While we were walking towards the gates, I saw two red-haired ladies just outside. They both had green eyes and full lips. One wore a yellow shirt and jeans and the other wore a pink tee and a skirt. They looked exactly the same. I guess they were twins. They both looked really pretty.

Suddenly, the one in the pink shirt began to look excited. She whispered something to her twin and began entering our school.

Then the one in the pink outfit began running towards our direction.

Oh no. What the heck is this girl doing anyway? Why's she running towards us?

I turned to look at Danny, and saw that he was surprised. Then he grinned and ran towards the girl too.

Danny hugged the girl when they met. The girl was grinning so widely. She was even giggling.

Who was she?

"Danny! It's so nice to meet you cousin!!" the girl exclaimed happily.

Oh my gosh! It was one of Danny's Irish cousins! I guess this was Pamela.

"It's great to see you too Pamela", Danny replied warmly as Pamela let go of him.

Aw… They looked so cute together.

The other cousin, Nicole, approached them. She didn't hug Danny, she only smiled warmly.

"Hey Danny", Nicole greeted him.

"Hi Nicole. It's great seeing you", Danny replied.

Danny was grinning widely when he turned to me. He seemed so happy now.

"Anthea, these are my cousins Nicole and Pamela", Danny introduced them to me.

"Hi guys. I'm glad I can finally see you", I told them enthusiastically. This was all so lovely.

To my surprise, Pamela hugged me tightly. Gosh she was so friendly.

"Oh my gosh!! You're Anthea?? I'm super duper happy to meet you! Danny talks about you all the time!!" she gushed.

I could see Danny turn a bit red. I laughed. I never knew he actually talked about me.

"Sorry, my sister's pretty perky. I'm Nicole by the way", Nicole said, smiling at me. I grinned back.

Nicole wasn't so bad. I don't know why they were saying that she was mean. She seemed so sweet.

"Pameellaaaaaaaa!!!" Dougie called.

Pamela turned and grinned widely. She ran to Dougie and hugged him tightly.

"Dougie!! It's so nice to see you!!" she exclaimed.

"It's great to see you too!" Dougie replied, grinning.

The two looked so cute. They looked like they were really close friends.

After that, Tom and Harry came as well. It was obvious that everyone loved Pamela. She was friendly after all. Tom seemed to really like Nicole too.

After chatting a bit, we all went home. Pamela hugged me tightly again and Nicole waved goodbye.

This time, Danny walked me back home. Dougie wanted to walk Pamela home. He probably missed her so much.

"Danny, your cousins are nice you know", I told him as we walked home.

"Yeah. I really like them", Danny replied, laughing.

"I'm pretty nervous about rehearsals tomorrow. I'll probably mess up".

"You'll do fine. Besides, you'll be with me. No one's really going to watch us rehearse together. It's going to be private."

I sighed, very relieved. That was good. I was only going to be with Danny.

"I can't believe you're the Prince Danny! I'd have loved to see you onstage", I exclaimed.

I really wish I could've seen him. He looked handsome in a suit, so he must look dashing in a prince costume.

"Nah. Not really", Danny blushed, turning very red.

"Danny, don't be so humble. I know you looked charming", I grinned.

He kept on blushing, but he grinned.

We finally reached home and I said goodbye to Danny.

I opened the door to my house. As always, Kristoph greeted me. He hugged me tightly. I patted him on the head.

I went to the kitchen to say hello to my parents. I saw that my mom was clutching a bouquet of flowers.

That was sweet. I guess that dad gave those to her. It was very like him.

"Oh Anthea. Perfect timing. These came just for you. Young lady, I didn't know you had a suitor", my mom teased.

A suitor? What did she mean?

She gave the bouquet of flowers. They were quite nice actually. Roses, tulips, and cosmos. There was a small note attached to the bouquet. I read what it said:

"Love, Kyle"

I was shocked. Why would Kyle do this? I decided to just go up my room and not think so much about this bizarre twist of events. I placed the flowers on a flower vase on the desk beside my bed.

Maybe it was just a present. Yeah. I just came from the hospital after all. I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean anything.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27 (REHEARSAL)

I looked at the clock. It was about 9 pm.

I already ate dinner with my family, so I decided to brush my teeth.

I went to the bathroom, turned the lights on, grabbed my toothbrush, put some toothpaste on it, and started brushing my teeth.

All of a sudden, I accidentally bit my tongue. I yelped and dropped my toothbrush on the sink.

Ouch. That really hurt. A lot.

"Sis! Someone's talking about you!" a voice said.

I turned to my left and saw Kristoph standing outside the door.

"What Kristoph?" I asked. What was he blabbing about?

"I read it somewhere. They say if you bite your tongue by accident, someone's talking about you."

I laughed. "Yeah right Kristoph. Besides, it doesn't really mean anything. Come on now, go to bed".

I ushered him out. It was his bedtime.

I was pretty much finished now. I wiped the froth from my mouth with some tissue and placed my toothbrush back in its container. After that, I rushed to my room and hit the hay.

Yeah right. As if that were true.

Little did I know, someone was really talking about me.

Danny was at his house, talking with Tom on the phone. He was sitting on his sofa, holding the book 'Portrait of Dorian Grey' in his hand.

"Honestly Tom, I don't know how I should tell her. She might freak out", Danny sighed over the phone.

"Really Danny, it's been like, what? Six months. You've been crushing on her for six months. You're gonna have to tell her sooner or later. It's not good to keep your feelings bottled up", Tom reasoned out.

"I do want to tell her. I really do… I'm just afraid that I'll say or do something stupid and she won't talk to me anymore. You know how girls can be. I can't handle that".

"Well, I don't think Anthea's like any other girl. You know that. She'll understand. Besides, you guys are best buds. I'm positive she won't react negatively".

"I guess so… Aw what the heck! I think the problem's with me. I'm too nervous to tell her".

"Danny, nothing comes of nothing. Do you get my point? You need to speak up. How can you get things settled if you won't speak up? Come on. You're Danny; I know you can do it".

Danny sighed.

"Okay. Thanks Tom. You know, I told this to my mom one time. She said the exact same thing", Danny chuckled.

"See? Go on. Erase your fears and you'll be fine. Be your shameless self", Tom laughed.

Danny laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah right Tom. In fact, I'll tell her tomorrow. We have rehearsals together for the play".

"That's great dude. I'm rooting for you".

"Thanks a lot Tom. I have to go to sleep now. Bye".

"Bye Danny. Good luck".

I checked my watch. It was four in the afternoon. Danny and I were supposed to rehearse together for the final scene wherein Aurora and the Prince get married. The Prince in this part that we're practicing on should also tell the princess how much he loved her.

So yeah. It was a pretty romantic scene.

Danny and I had been practicing with the rest of the class during English classes. Jessica's script was good, excellent even.

Right now, Danny and I were supposed to practice in the school's rehearsal room just a few doors away from our classroom.

We were already walking towards the room. I was clutching the script in my hand and humming a tune to myself.

Danny was acting pretty weird today. I heard him mutter "Should I tell her?" to himself while we were eating lunch. He seemed so tense today. Is this about the girl he likes? Oh well… Or maybe he was just taking the rehearsals seriously.

Still, something was definitely off.

"Danny, you okay? You seem pretty tense", I told him as we were walking.

He had a surprised expression on his face. "Me? Tense? Er… I'm fine really".

Oh well. Knowing Danny, he wouldn't tell me unless he really wanted to,

"Okay Danny. But you're sure you're fine?" I asked. I was concerned about him.

"Really, I'm fine", he said and finally grinned. All the tension in his face finally disappeared.

We finally arrived at the rehearsal room. It was pretty cool. There were mirros,a powdering room and a ton of props.

I think I'm gonna like it here.

"It's nice here Danny. I love it here", I told him as my eyes scanned the room.

"Yeah. I love rehearsing here you know. It's pretty peaceful", Danny agreed.

"Let's start practicing now", I suggested, Danny nodded.

We grabbed two chairs and sat down on them. I flipped through the script for the scene we were practicing for.

"Okay Danny… You ready?" I asked him. He nodded, still looking tense.

What was up with this guy?

I'm no mind-reader, so I couldn't tell what was in his head. But I do now that something's wrong.

'Oh man. Should I tell her? Should I? Aw man' Danny thought. These questions kept on repeating in his mind. He was debating with himself.

Finally, he made his decision.

'Alright. I'm gonna tell her', Danny thought, firm on his decision.

He suddenly held my hand. I turned to look at him, I was surprised by his expression.

His eyes looked like they were burning now. He looked like he was anxious about something. He looked like he really wanted something.

My heart skipped a beat. Why was I feeling this way?

"Er… Anthea… I'm gonna tell you something", he told me quietly.

Now I was feeling tense. What was he about to tell me?

"Sure Danny. Just tell me", I replied.

"Please don't freak out or throw your shoe at me or anything okay?"

I laughed. Just what was he going to tell me? I'm pretty sure it's not that bad or shocking.

"Come on Danny. I'd never do that to you", I replied.

How could I hurt Danny? He was so sweet.

Danny grinned shyly.

"Nah. Well, okay. I guess I really have to let it out", he said.

"Go on Danny. I'm all ears", I replied.

Danny gulped. I just smiled encouragingly. What could make him so nervous?

"Y-you see… Um… Sorry. I'm just… Pretty nervous… Aw what the heck! I'm just gonna blab it out. Anthea, I really really like y-" he started to say but he was cut off when the door opened.

We turned to see who opened it. Darn it. I hated interruptions.

We saw a small blond-haired girl in tutu and ballet shoes. She turned red when she saw us, obviously realizing that she had interrupted something important.

"I'm s-s-sorry. I thought this was the ballet room. I'm not yet familiar with the place… S-s-sorry for interrupting", she stuttered.

"It's okay. Go up and you'll see a pink door just beside the administrator's office. That's it", I instructed her.

"Thanks. I'm really sorry", she thanked me and went off.

I turned to face Danny. He was banging his head on the chair slowly.

"Why? Why? Why? Why?" he muttered while banging his head.

Aw… He looked so cute.

"Come on Danny. Sure there was an interruption, but can you still tell me?" I asked him.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the courage anymore. He was too shy again.

"Er… Sorry. I can't calm my nerves anymore. I'll tell you next time though", he smiled.

That was a shame. But I didn't want to force Danny.

"Okay Danny. You promise? Pinky swear?" I asked him and held up my pinky. Okay. It seemed corny, but I've always wanted to do it just like in the movies and Korean soap operas.

He laughed. "Pinky swear?"

"Yup. So you can really promise. Come on now. Pinky swear?"

He grinned and also held out his pinky. We did the pinky swear. I smiled, satisfied.

"The last time I did that was seven years ago", he said.

"Oh? Then I'm glad I did it with you seven years later", I grinned. Wow. It's been a long time.

"I sure do".

"Okay. So let's practice now?"

"Sure".

I flipped through the script again.

"Ah. Here's your line", I said after finally finding his part. I handed the script to him.

He cleared his throat and began reciting his lines.

"Dear Princess, the witch's spell may have tried to keep me away from you. But I never gave up because I knew that I'd find true love when I would see you. And I did. That's why… I can honestly say", he recited and paused for dramatic effect.

"I love you Anthea", he grinned, but then his eyes widened. He began to turn red after realizing he said the wrong name, and my name to boot.

I looked at him, surprised. I can't believe he messed up his lines. That was pretty funny, but I couldn't help but blush a bit too.

"Er… I love you too Danny but that's not that line", I joked and laughed.

However, when he said that, it felt real. It felt like he really meant it. It felt like he really did love me.

"I'm sorry. I messed up my line", he apologized and grinned.

"It's okay Danny. You know, whether you meant that or not, you're the first guy outside of my family to tell me that. It's a little trivia for you", I smiled to him. Well, even if it was by accident, it really was true.

He looked surprised. "Really? No boy's ever told you that?"

I snorted. "Boys never went near me when I was a kid. Sure I had a lot of girlfriends, but I never ever went near boys".

He smiled. "That's a shame. You're a pretty lovely and cute girl".

I blushed. Whoa! That line totally melted my heart! Danny chuckled.

"Well, it was me okay? I avoided boys. I dunno. I guess I didn't feel so comfortable around them. But it feels different with you, Harry, Tom and Dougie. I like you guys", I said.

Danny smiled warmly. "Thanks".

After that, we rehearsed some more. It didn't take too long though. Besides, it was a simple play. Naturally, the script was short. Plus, since we were already familiar with the play, we kind of memorize our lines.

I checked my watch and received my shock.

"Danny, it's only 4:30. Can you believe it?" I told him.

He flashed me a puzzled expression and looked at my watch.

"Oh yeah. It is only 4:30 pm", he chuckled.

I surveyed the room. I wonder what we should do. There was still a lot of time.

"Hey Anthea. You know, they keep a lot of costumes here", Danny suggested.

My face brightened. Oh my gosh. We could try on a few outfits. That would be really fun.

"Danny, where exactly are the costumes?" I asked him.

He pointed to a door to the right. "There. It's a pretty huge closet".

I stood up from my seat and walked towards the door that he pointed to. I placed my hand on the knob, twisted it and opened the door.

Danny wasn't kidding. The closet was pretty huge. A lot of frilly gowns, suits, animal costumes and even mermaid costumes hung on racks left and right.

Danny went inside as well. He grinned when he saw a dog costume.

"This was my costume when I was in first grade. I can't believe I played the role of a dog", he said and shuddered. I laughed.

We spent the rest of the time scanning different costumes. Danny grabbed a tutu from the rack.

"I dare you to wear that", I dared him.

"What's in it for me?" he asked.

Hm… I wonder… What would be a nice deal?

I finally got it. It would be a fun thing to do.

"I'll go surfing with you anytime you feel like it", I replied.

"It's a done deal", Danny agreed.

He suddenly wore the tutu. He looked absolutely hilarious when he put that on with his pants still on. He even posed a bit.

I couldn't help but really laugh out loud. In fact, I was already crying.

"Too bad I don't have a camera. That would've been a great picture to post on the internet", I commented.

He stuck out his tongue. "As if I'd let you do that".

After daring him to wear a few more outfits, we decided to head home. It was already 5 pm. It was getting a bit darker.

We finally got outside the gates when the clouds started turning grey. It looked like it really was going to rain.

"Oh man. I don't even have an umbrella", I complained. Why did it have to rain now?

Suddenly, Danny took off his jacket and held it over the top of our heads.

"It's no problem. I've got a jacket", he grinned.

That was so sweet. That's why I liked Danny a lot.

I helped him hold the jacket over our heads. The rain started to pour down. We walked a bit faster, chatting as we walked.

We finally reached my house. The rain was still pouring, but it wasn't so hard.

He walked me towards my door. I was a little wet, but I didn't mind.

"Thanks Danny", I said to him, grinning.

"No biggie. Bye Anthea", he said as he started walking away.

I waved goodbye and went inside my house.

I studied Chemistry and Biology as soon as I was already in my room. I needed to review my lessons.

After that, I had dinner. When I finally finished my dinner I headed to my room and slept. I was pretty tired.

I woke up at 3:30 am. I wasn't even sure if I really did wake up. I was so sleepy, so I couldn't tell if this was just a dream. It pretty much felt like it though.

I suddenly felt thirsty. I slowly got up from my bed and went downstairs. I proceeded to the kitchen. I walked to the refrigerator.

I opened it and immediately grabbed a huge bottle of Minute Maid. I got a cup from the sink and began to pour the delightful juice into it. I smiled. It was pretty refreshing.

Suddenly, the phone in the pocket of my pajamas rang. I wonder who could be calling at this time.

Nevertheless, I answered it.

"Hello? Who's calling?" I yawned. I was still so sleepy.

"Anthea? Anthea? You're up?" a voice asked.

I recognized whose voice it was.

"Kyle? This is you?" I asked. Why was he calling at this time?

"Hey um… Sorry for calling so early. I couldn't sleep", he began to say.

My head was practically bobbing now. Gosh I was sleepy. In fact, I couldn't even really understand what he said. Oh well, just say yes.

"Anthea… Um… Is it okay if you go out on a date with me?" he asked shyly.

I was so sleepy. What? What was he saying again? Anyway, just say yes. It's just a dream after all.

"Er… Sure. I don't mind", I replied, yawning.

"Really? You sure? Th-thanks. I'm sorry if I'm being fast", he said.

"It's fine Kyle".

"It's just that… I really like you Anthea you know. I think we'd be great together…"

Okay. Now I really can't understand what he was saying. What? What again? Oh what the heck. Just agree. It'll give me less trouble.

"Er sure Kyle. I've gotta go to sleep now. Bye", I said. Gosh I was so drowsy.

"Okay. I'll pick you up after school".

"Sure".

I ended the call. I went back to my room and back into my bed. This dream was so weird. Kyle asked me out? Definitely a funny dream.

I just chuckled to myself as I slept, thinking it was all a dream.

Boy was I wrong. It was no dream.


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28 (A DATE I NEVER AGREED TO… I THINK)

"Jessica, I had the weirdest dream ever", I told Jessica.

"What was it about?" Jessica asked.

It was already after classes. Jessica and I were sitting under a tree, chatting. I just had to tell her about my awfully weird dream about Kyle.

"I dreamed that Kyle asked me out on a date and that he liked me", I gushed.

Jessica laughed out loud. "You have the wackiest dreams ever! Kyle? Please".

I laughed too. "I know. It's totally weird and I even agreed because I was so sleepy".

"That would've been bad".

"Absolutely".

"You're lucky it's just a dream, or else Kyle would be… Here… Wait! Oh my gosh! Anthea! He's here!"

My smile vanished from my face. Jessica was pointing to the gates of the school. Oh my gosh.

Kyle was standing outside, holding a bouquet of flowers. He was wearing a green shirt and walking shorts.

I wasn't so sure things were just a dream last night.

"I think he's waiting for you", Jessica said.

"I guess I'd better go there", I gulped. I have to face this. I waved goodbye to Jessica and I assured her that I'd be fine.

I walked towards Kyle. I took a deep breath while walking. He beamed when he saw me. I was smiling nervously.

What was I supposed to do? I didn't want to hurt Kyle. It's not his fault.

"Er… Hey Kyle", I said nervously.

"Hey Anthea. Um… These are for you", he said, handing me the bouquet. He was really smiling now. I have to admit, he did look pretty handsome and charming.

"Thanks Kyle. So where are we going?" I asked him as I got the bouquet.

I really wished that everything was a dream right now. Never did I imagine that this would happen to me. But then, I have to face reality.

No matter how awful things seem.

"We're going to this Italian restaurant. It's called the Italian Kitchen. It's nice there", he smiled and started holding my hand.

Whoops! Not so fast mister.

I pulled my hand away and smiled a bit. "Er… Sorry. It just feels awkward".

Whew. That was a close one.

"Oh okay. It's fine", Kyle said, a bit disappointed.

No way was I letting him hold my hand that fast.

We got inside a taxi and arrived at the restaurant after ten minutes.

I have to say, the restaurant is pretty impressive. There was a wooden sign on the top which said "Italian Kitchen". The inside was exquisite. There was an Italian band and a lot of people were inside. Woah. This was a posh place.

As we entered the restaurant, the smell of Italian cuisine filled my nose. The food seems to be delicious here. Just the aroma makes my mouth water.

A waiter approached us.

"Any reservations?" the waiter asked us.

"Yes. Under Mattley", Kyle replied.

The waiter flipped through his list on his clipboard.

"Ah yes. Here's your reservation. Come here", the waiter said and led us to a table for two at the back.

It was a bit far away from the rest of the diners. Kyle probably wanted privacy.

I gulped. This did not seem so good.

We sat down and the waiter took our order and left. Kyle was smiling at me.

I so did not feel comfortable here.

"Kyle, why are you doing this?" I asked him. I definitely needed an answer.

He suddenly held my hands on the table. I wanted to pull my hands away but I was afraid that he's get offended.

"It's like what I said last night. I really like you Anthea… I know we'd be great together", he said, really meaning it.

"Hold on. But I barely know you Kyle! I've only known you for a week!" I protested. This was so ridiculous. It didn't make sense.

"I know I'm being fast, but I really do like you Anthea".

"No Kyle. Absolutely not!"

"Please Anthea? Give me a chance".

"I'm sorry Kyle. But I-I already like someone. You can't force me to like you".

"Oh really? Maybe you're just making that up".

"No I'm not. It's really true".

He snorted. "Whatever. I'm way better anyway".

Ugh. I never he was this stubborn. And he's way better? As if he could ever compete with Harry. I seriously wanted to strangle him now.

He took out his wallet, but then a picture fell from his pocket. I picked it up from the floor.

I seriously wanted to slap him when I saw the photograph.

It was already torn, but it was neatly taped. Kyle was in the picture, along with a blond girl. They were hugging each other and looking really sweet. They were obviously not family. I saw the date on it; it was just two weeks ago.

I could feel my blood boiling inside me. I can't believe he's just using me as a replacement for this girl! They just broke up I guess. So this is why he asked me out.

I could've yelled at him, but I decided not to. I didn't want to make a scene. I should just talk this over with him.

"Kyle, you just broke up with your girlfriend huh?" I asked him quietly.

I placed the dropped photo on the table. His eyes widened when he saw it. He began to grow a bit angry. I jut sighed.

"Kyle, people aren't like patches on clothes. They shouldn't be used to cover up your holes in life. You shouldn't use people", I told him directly. He needed to know and I certainly wasn't going to tolerate this.

However, much to my dismay, Kyle was still stubborn.

"Okay. Yeah. I just broke up with my girlfriend. Big whoop. That's not the reason. I do like you. I won't give up", he replied stubbornly.

"Kyle, I don't even really like you", I said, getting a little frustrated.

Suddenly, someone set down the food on our table. I was still looking at Kyle though with an angry expression. I can't believe he's forcing me.

"Kyle, I'll just go now. I don't want to make a scene", I resigned and started to stand up.

"No! Wait!" he stopped me and grabbed my hand.

"Let go Kyle. I'll pay for my food but I need to go".

I tried to yank my arm away but Kyle was too strong. He certainly wasn't about to let me go.

Suddenly, another pair of hands yanked his arm away from me, breaking Kyle's tight grip.

"When a lady says 'no', you really should let her go", a familiar voice said.

I turned to look and see who it was. I gasped. Oh my gosh.

It was Harry.

He was looking at Kyle with a stern expression on his face. He looked like he was about to beat Kyle up.

"H-Harry?" I asked weakly.

I couldn't believe this. Here was Harry, ready to rescue me. I was so glad that he was here. Kyle could finally let me go.

His cold expression suddenly evaporated when he turned to me, grinning widely. "Hey Anthea. It's great seeing you here".

Then he faced Kyle and his sour expression reappeared. "You, I'm not so sure I'm happy to see".

Kyle only glared at him. Oh no. I'd better stop this before things get worse.

"Harry. It's okay. Kyle and I just had a little misunderstanding. I'll just leave. Kyle, here's my payment for my food. I've gotta go now", I said and handed a few bills to Kyle.

He took them with a frown on his face. "Fine. I'll pay at the front desk. I'm sorry to see you go so soon though. But Anthea, I promise I won't give up. Remember that".

He finally smiled and stood up from the table. He was smiling only at me, he started to frown when he passed by Harry. Harry only rolled his eyes and mouthed the word 'loser' as Kyle left.

I sighed. Harry suddenly placed his arm over my shoulder. I blushed.

"You okay? I thought something was up when I was about to serve you guys your order", he said gently.

I looked at Harry's outfit. He was wearing a waiter's outfit. Did he work it? Either way, it was great that he was here to save me. He was my hero.

"Come on. I know you haven't eaten yet. Let's go to the back", he said, his arm still over my shoulder.

I nodded. I felt like in heaven. I can't believe Harry was my hero today! I felt like melting to the floor. I felt like dancing.

He led me throughout the crowd. We reached the back part wherein two doors opened to the kitchen and the owner's room.

I was surprised when Harry, instead of going into the kitchen, went inside the owner of the restaurant's room.

Whoa. What was going on?

We went inside the room. It was pretty cozy. There was a bookshelf filled with different cook books, a desk with a pile of folders on it and a few sofas. Different paintings hung on the wall and there was one portrait that showed a huge group of chefs.

"Harry, what are we doing here? I thought only the restaurant owner could come in here', I asked him. I was just so curious. What's the explanation behind all this?

"Oh. Well, you see, my parents are the owners of this restaurant", Harry said bashfully.

Wait a second. Did I hear that right? Harry's parents were the owners of this fancy restaurant??

"Really Harry?? You're not pulling my leg?" I asked again.

"Well, we're in here. So I guess it must be true. I work part-time here to help out my parents", he replied, grinning.

Wooah. This is amazing! I can't believe Harry's rich! And his parents are chefs of this high-class restaurant.

"This is amazing Harry! Really. I'm impressed", I said, completely awed.

Harry blushed. "Well, not really".

Suddenly, my tummy began to grumble. I smiled shyly. Wow. Way to make an impression. Harry grinned.

"Wait here. I'll get some food from the kitchen", he said and went outside.

I surveyed the room once more. I approached the picture of chefs. I squinted, trying to get a better look at the photograph. I saw one man to the farthest left who looked exactly like Harry, only older. He must be Harry's father. Gosh he looked handsome too.

Harry finally returned, holding a steaming plate of mouth-watering lasagne in his hand. The aroma made my stomach grumble again.

"Here. Eat this. I made it myself", he grinned widely.

I blushed. This was too much. I felt like floating to heaven. My imagination was out of control again. I imagined that Harry was my husband and he's cook for me everyday, just like now. It would be absolutely fantastic.

I just wish everything was real though. But I've got to face reality now, no matter how harsh it is.

"Anthea?" Harry prodded.

I snapped back into reality. "Oh. Sorry Harry. Thanks a lot".

I took the plate and began eating the lasagne as I sat on a sofa. It was so delicious! This made me love Harry even more. He was such a good cook.

I finished my lasagne in a few minutes. It was just too good.

"Thanks a lot Harry! It was delicious! Really", I complimented him.

He smiled.

"Harry, the chef in the picture, is your dad there?" I asked him, pointing to the picture.

"Yup. My mom's there too. Actually, all the chefs in that picture are my family", he replied.

"Seriously? All of you cook?"

"Yup. It seems that cooking's in our blood. They all have different eating joints here. One owns the Chinese pagoda, the other one owns Biggie Burgers and I think my cousin owns Ice Cream Monster".

I nearly fell off my sofa. They actually control the hugest food joints around here? And his cousin owns the Ice Cream Monster??

"Wooah Harry! For real?" I asked.

"Er… Yeah", he chuckled.

"Harry, you simply amaze me. Where should I put this by the way?" I said, holding up my plate.

"Oh. Justine will pick it up. Just set that down on the small table over there", he instructed, pointing to a small table at the back.

I placed it there, and started walking back to Harry.

I can't believe he and his family were such great cooks. And his cousin owns the Ice Cream Monster! That was really incredible. Their family certainly was powerful.

Suddenly, because I wasn't concentrating, I tripped over the carpet.

I screamed and closed my eyes. I didn't hit the desk, but I sure hit something. After I hit the thing, we both fell down to the carpet with a soft thud. Thank God the carpet was soft and plushy. It wouldn't be pleasant if it was hard.

I opened my eyes and saw Harry. His head seemed to have hit the desk and his arms were wrapped around me.

I could feel my heart go thump again. I think I was turning as red as a tomato now.

Harry grinned at me. "Hey slow down Anthea".

I blushed and immediately got off him. I helped him stand up.

"I'm so sorry Harry. Really. Oh my gosh. Did you hit your head?" I apologized.

He only smiled. "Nah. I'm fine, really. Are you okay?"

"I am. Only because you saved me. Thanks Harry".

"No prob. I think you should go home now. It's getting pretty late. I think it's seven now".

"What? Seven? My parents don't even know I'm here!" I panicked.

"It's okay. I already called them a while ago. I told them you were with me".

"Harry, you saved me again. Thanks!"

I hugged him. I was just so grateful. He patted my head and smiled when I let go.

He led me out of the restaurant and found a taxi for me. I thanked him as I got in. I owed him so much.

I replayed my little accident in my head. I think I even giggled when I thought about it.

I arrived home. My parents weren't angry at all. I was with Harry, so there was no problem.

Kyle called me so many times later on. But I never answered. I need some space anyway.

I slept peacefully that night. I didn't even notice the robin that was pecking on my window.

I dreamt about my little accident. It was one of the sweetest moments of my life after all.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29 (THE PERFECT GOWN)

The days went by quickly and soon it was the weekend again. The play was going well. We already had our rehearsals and we managed to master the play. Danny was a really effective and wonderful actor. I could see why he's always chosen for the major roles.

I was going out with Evangeline today. I need to pick something up this Saturday.

I checked my watch. It was eight in the morning. I pulled out a business card from my desk in my room. I got my cell phone from my pocket and dialled the number on the card. I placed my cell phone near to my right ear.

"Yes? Who is calling?" the voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Hey. It's me, Anthea", I said.

"Anthea dear! How lovely! It's you! Do you need anything?"

"Yeah. Can I ask you a favour? It's really important".

"Sure. Anything for you. What do you need?"

"Well…"

"Anthea! It's absolutely great here!" Evangeline exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I know. I'm pretty shocked too", I agreed.

We were in a white room and sitting on black leathered sofas. Several paintings hung on the wall and there was a huge flat screen television. There was also a huge fish tank at the back. Just exactly where were we? We were at Paul's apartment and working room.

It was pretty huge. There was even a bar here. It was pretty fancy.

Paul finally arrived, carrying a lot of paper bags. He set them down on the floor carefully. He grinned when he saw us.

"Anthea! It's so great to see you again!" he exclaimed as he hugged me.

"It's great to see you too Paul. Ah. By the way, this is my friend Evangeline", I said and introduced Evangeline to him.

"My, my. You're a pretty one. Are you interested in modelling?" Paul remarked as he looked at Evangeline from head to toe.

Evangeline giggled as she shook her head.

"Well now, I've brought all these princess gowns. So, let's start trying them out", Paul said excitedly.

I called Paul this morning. I asked him if he had a few gowns that I could borrow for the play on Monday. Evangeline came with me. Paul was so nice. He even asked his driver to come pick me and Evangeline up at my house.

He pulled out a few gowns from the paper bag. The all looked absolutely gorgeous. One was pink, the other green, and another blue.

"Try these first. There's a lot more though", Paul suggested and handed me the outfits. "You can change in that fitting room over there".

I went to the fitting room that he pointed out, holding the gowns. I took off my clothes and tried one on. It was okay. The color of pink was absolutely beautiful and the design was impressive.

I was done now. All I had to do was zip it up. I reached for the zipper at the back and pulled it up. It was going well until I couldn't pull it up anymore.

I tried zipping it again, but it wouldn't change. Oh man.

"Evangeline? Can you help me with the zipper?" I called.

Evangeline came in and tried to zip my dress. She couldn't do it as well.

"Ugh. It's really stuck", she grunted.

"Oh well. No use forcing the dress. It won't fit me. I'll try another one. Thanks", I said and she went out again.

I took that one off and tried the other gowns as well. But the same thing happened: they all wouldn't fit me. It was such a shame. They were all so gorgeous.

Paul brought me more gowns, but they wouldn't fit me again. I was getting frantic now. I still didn't have a gown for the play. How could all of this happen?

I finally tried on all the gowns that Paul brought. All of them fit me miserably. I really wanted to cry now.

I was already leaning on the door of the fitting room. Tears started to pour down my cheek. I wiped them off.

I sighed. Crying won't solve anything. I'm sure I'll find a way.

Suddenly, Paul knocked on the door.

"Oh. Paul. What is it?" I asked.

"I just found this old dress in my closet. It's actually a prom dress. A really pretty girl designed it before and made me make it. She returned it though after the prom. It's not all princessy, but I guess it'll do. If it fits you", Paul replied.

I immediately brightened up. Okay. This is my last chance.

Evangeline came in and handed me the dress. It was baby blue with puffed sleeves. The skirt was a few inches below the knee and the ribbon tied to the back was adorable. It was very cute.

I was already satisfied with it. It was enough. At least I could use something for the play now.

"You ready?" Evangeline asked.

"Yup. I hope this fits", I said.

Evangeline helped me put on the dress. It was great. The dress easily slipped on my body and it fit me perfectly.

"It fits!" Evangeline said happily, clapping her hands.

I looked at the dress. It was so wonderfully perfect, fitting my body effortlessly. It was like it was made for me.

"Let's show Paul", Evangeline said.

I nodded and we went out. Paul was sitting on one of the sofas, reading the newspaper. He looked up and immediately put aside the paper when he saw me.

"Anthea! You look so beautiful!" he exclaimed as he stood up.

I blushed a bit. "Really Paul? Thanks. I'm glad it fit me". I looked at myself at a mirror on the wall. To be honest, I really did look good. The gown worked wonders for me.

"Now you can really seduce Danny". Evangeline teased, grinning widely.

I gasped and slapped her shoulder. She only grinned. I was really blushing now. How could she joke about that? I don't know why, but I feel so embarrassed. I couldn't just shrug it off like it was nothing.

Paul only laughed. "Aw come on Anthea. You and Danny look so sweet".

I blushed. "We're just friends".

Paul sighed. "Whatever you say. Hey, I think that gown is over ten years old."

"Really? It's that old?" I asked, surprised. I should really take good care of this then.

"Yup. I remember the date well because the girl was so sweet and pretty. After her prom, it couldn't fit her anymore. She returned to me and told me somebody might make better use of it in the future", Paul narrated.

I nodded. Thank God though. That girl from decades ago saved me.

"It's a very nice design", Evangeline said while admiring the dress.

Suddenly, the door bell rang. Paul smiled like he was already expecting it.

"Oh! It's here. Come in!" he called.

Two delivery guys came in carrying what seemed to be a huge painting wrapped in brown paper.

Paul signed the clipboard and the men went away.

Evangeline and I looked at the huge parcel, wondering what it could be.

"Paul, what's that?" I asked.

Paul was beaming at me. "You sure you want to see?"

I nodded. "Sure".

He began to tear down the brown paper wrapping. When he was done, it revealed an old photograph that I knew so well. It was the one in the photo shoot where Danny and I were whisked away to be models for the day. It was the one wherein Danny was kissing my cheek.

I gaped at it. It was huge! And the frame was great. The picture was now probably more than half my body. Paul actually blew up the picture.

"Paul! You blew up the picture?" I asked, very shocked.

"Yeah. It's actually one of the best pictures I've seen. Besides, you two look so adorable together", Paul smiled.

Evangeline looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face. "Did you guys just get married or something?"

I smiled sheepishly. Oh well.

I narrated everything to her. She finally understood. She giggled as she listened to my story.

"Oh. I see. Well, I have to agree with Paul. You guys do look good together", Evangeline said, a sly smile on her face.

I blushed again. Why do I keep on getting embarrassed?

"Oh. Look at the time. I guess you girls should be home. You need to eat your lunch and I still have work to do", Paul said.

We all fixed the gowns and I placed the only one that fit me in a paper bag after changing back into my shirt and jeans. We both thanked Paul as we got into a taxi.

We finally arrived at my house. I said goodbye to her and thanked her for coming with me. I really appreciated it. Suddenly, she was in a daze. She stopped walking. I guess she was having another vision.

She faced me, a concerned expression pasted on her face. "Be careful. You might have an accident on Monday" she warned me and I nodded. She walked away after that, leaves blowing in her path.

Well, I guess I have to be extra careful on Monday then. I hope I don't screw up the play though.


	30. Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30 (SLEEPING BEAUTY)

I peeped from the curtains; a lot of kids were already seated in the hall. I began to feel a little nervous. I can't believe I'm about to act in front of a massive audience.

I haven't seen Danny yet though. He was on the other wing. I wondered what he looked like.

I started to breathe slowly. Okay. Air goes in… Air goes out. You'll be fine.

Suddenly, Jenny and Jessica approached me. They seemed finished talking with those in charge with the lights. They gasped when they saw my outfit for the first time. They were so busy today, we couldn't see each other.

"Anthea! You look absolutely gorgeous!" Jessica exclaimed happily and hugged me.

"Thanks! I'm pretty nervous though", I replied.

"You? Nervous? With a look like that, you should feel so confident. Anthea, you are gonna rock that stage tonight", Jenny smiled.

"Aw Jenny… Thanks! I feel so much better, thanks to you guys!" I said as I hugged Jenny.

Jenny was right. I shouldn't feel so nervous now. I should enjoy what I'm doing.

Suddenly, the lights began to die and the music started to play.

"Oh. It's show time. Good luck Anthea!" Jessica whispered and went to fix more things at the other wing.

"Break a leg Anthea" Jenny said and walked away as well to help out Jessica.

"Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a king and queen who had a beautiful daughter named Princess Aurora…" the narrator started to say.

Okay. I was going to be fine. I was not going to mess things up.

"Mother? Why can't I go see a spinning wheel? I'm dreadfully curious", I recited my lines.

I was finally acting onstage, and the audience was luckily paying attention to what I was saying. Good. That meant that my voice projection was clear.

"Why on Earth would you want to see a spinning wheel my dear? It's awfully boring", Cassandra, who played the queen, replied.

"Mother. I want to see one. Please?"

"No. Your father has already burned all the spinning wheels in the land".

"But why?"

"We're just trying to keep you safe. Please stop asking such questions dear. I have to go now".

Then she made her exit. Things were going smoothly and everything seemed so polished. I began to pout, according to the script.

"Oh. I know you love me mother, but I need answers".

Suddenly, the witch of the story arrived with a spinning wheel. Horror music signalled her entrance and some kids looked pretty scared seeing her. I couldn't blame them. Our witch had horrific make-up on her face.

"My deeaaarrr… You say you want to see a spinning wheel? Heeerrreee", Leah, the witch, said in a shrill voice. My skin began to have goose bumps. She was such an effective actress.

I looked at the spinning wheel. "Oh my. I don't see any harm in it. May I touch it?" I asked.

"But of coouuurrssee! Go ahead deeaarriiee!" she cackled.

I walked towards the spinning wheel, touched the tip and pretended to be in pain. I groaned.

"Oww!!! Oh… I… Feel… So… Sleepy", I said and pretended to faint. I fell to the stage floor. It hurt a bit when I fell but I had to do it to make the scene look dramatic.

"Ahahaha!! My plan has finally succeeded! Sweet dreams princess. May your dreams be sweet, because you will never wake up!" Leah cackled once more, a little shriller now. Then she took off.

My three classmates, Toni, Zara and Joyce, who played the three good fairies, finally made their entrance. I opened one eye slowly. Aw… They looked so cute in their costumes.

"Oh! Look at the princess!" Toni exclaimed.

"Her finger is bleeding and she is sleeping. Oh. The wish must've come true!" Zara recited in a frantic voice, and her companions pretended to cry.

"Wait! Do you not remember my spell? Yes the princess is asleep, but she will wake up with true love's first kiss. We should bring her to her chambers and cast a spell upon the castle to make everyone fall asleep, they can only awake when the Princess is no more in slumber. From there on, our princess will wait for her true love", Joyce said.

After that, they waved their wands onstage, casting the spell.

They began to carry me to the bed onstage. I closed my eyes. I wasn't supposed to wake up after all.

"Ah. So this is the castle which contains the princess who has slept for so long. Maybe she is my true love that I have longed searched for", Danny said as he roamed around the stage, reciting his lines with so much emotion.

He started walking towards the right wing, cutting off the vine props set onstage. He was done, and began to proceed to me.

"Ah. Here's the fair princess. She sleeps still", he said and approached me.

He was supposed to say more but he seems to have been silenced. What was going on? Did he forget his lines? That wasn't possible and right in the middle of the play too!

I opened my right eye a bit and saw Danny staring at me so intensely. It's like he was hypnotised.

Suddenly, he snapped out of it. It was a good thing too.

"Ah. She's so beautiful. Maybe a kiss might wake her", he said and kissed my cheek very gently. We weren't supposed to really kiss. The principal was very conservative, so she told us not to kiss in front of the kids.

Even though his kiss didn't reach my lips, my heart pounded. I couldn't understand why I felt like this.

I sat up slowly and stretched my arms. "Oh. My Prince! You have finally come! My love, I have been waiting for you so long. I am glad you broke the spell". I hugged Danny. The crowd went "Aww…"

"And I, you. Will you marry me?"

"Of course my love. Nothing would make me happier".

We headed in opposite directions for a while. There was dancing in the center of the stage, because the spell was broken.

Finally, we were both at the center once more, a few meters away from each other. This was the last scene.

"Dear Princess, the witch's spell may have tried to keep me away from you, but I never gave up because I knew I'd fine true love and I did. That's why… I can honestly say", Danny said and paused. I looked at him. Gosh he was dazzling in his outfit. He was so handsome.

"I love you Princess", he said.

The audience screamed loudly. Some kids were even crying.

"I love you too my Prince", I replied, smiling at him.

Finally, it's over. All I have to do is run towards Danny and hug him. The audience was screaming even more.

Unfortunately, when I was running towards Danny, tragedy struck: I tripped, like the klutz that I always was. He immediately came to my rescue and tried to catch me. Then it happened.

My lips crashed into his lips.

The audience was dead silent. Everyone was staring at us. This wasn't part of the script! How could I screw this up???

I couldn't believe I accidentally kissed Danny! He seemed shocked, but decided to kiss me back to make it seem like things were scripted.

I had to admit, he was a great kisser. The thing that he did with the cherry held true. I could feel my heart beat fast and my cheeks flush.

He broke off our kiss; we shouldn't prolong this after all. The principal was watching. He looked at me. He was blushing as well.

The audience screamed even louder. There was a deafening sound that bounced against the walls of the hall and filled the place. The kids were jumping from their seats and a lot more cried. The teachers had a hard time controlling them. All of them were applauding and screaming "More! More! More!"

"And so… Our story ends as the Prince and Princess Aurora lived happily ever after", the narrator quickly said over the microphone.

Everyone applauded and kept on screaming. I guess they really liked the play.

Danny held my hand. I looked at him. He was smiling shyly and still blushing. I grinned, my cheeks still scorching and my heart thumping.

The crowd screamed again. I felt like I could go deaf. The curtains began to close and the crowd couldn't see us anymore. Danny and I looked at each other for a moment, still feeling a bit embarrassed. Then he smiled at me, I smiled back.

This time, it was the cast's time to scream.

"Oh my gosh! Was that part of the script??" Leah screamed excitedly.

"I can't believe you guys kissed!" Joyce exclaimed, out of breath.

"Aw! That was so cute!" Toni gushed.

Danny and I exchanged looks and just grinned.

"It was an accident. I tripped. I'm sorry I was so clumsy", I apologized.

"In any case, you guys just made the kids go crazy. They can't stop screaming", Jessica said as she arrived to meet us.

"Yeah guys. You couldn't have done it any better!" Jenny grinned.

Finally, the curtain call came and we all went out again. Danny and I received a standing ovation when our names were called. We could only turn red and smile sheepishly.

After that, Danny and I went through the door at the backstage and walked around the campus. It was a cool night and the moon shone brightly.

"I'm really sorry Danny. I tripped. I didn't have any intention of doing that", I told him quietly.

He chuckled. "It's okay. It happens onstage from time to time". I didn't know that he was secretly happy with what happened though.

"Um… You know Danny, that was my first kiss", I shared with him.

He stared at me with a surprised expression on his face. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yup. I'm never near around boys. So I had zero chance of that happening. Until now".

Danny laughed. "A shame they didn't take their chance. Hm… Now let me tell you something shocking. You know, you're actually wearing my mom's dress that was more than ten years ago".

I was shocked. I could only stare at him for a while, letting the revelation sink in.

"Whaat?? This was your mom's???" I asked.

"Yeah. I've seen that in so many pictures of her. That's why I first stared at you when I saw you onstage. I was just surprised. She loves that dress. It was one of her first designs", he explained.

"Your mom's a designer?"

"Yup. She owns the line Hunky Dory".

"Hunky Dory?? The Hunky Dory?"

"Yup."

Woah. Danny was filthy rich then. Hunky Dory was a very classy and expensive brand of clothes. Even celebrities wear that.

"It's a beautiful dress, really", I said.

"Yeah. I used to look at my mom's picture. She was really pretty in that. I used to say that no one else could look pretty in that but her. I was wrong. You look stunning tonight", Danny complimented.

I turned pink. "Aw. Thanks Danny. You look handsome tonight too. I mean that".

"Really? I don't look gay?"

"You? Gay? Please. That's the last thing that's going to cross anyone's mind".

He chuckled.

"Oh yeah. Why didn't your mom keep this? She wore it during prom night, so it must be special to her", I asked.

"Oh. That's easy. It couldn't fit her anymore at all after a few weeks. Her closet was so full of clothes, her mom asked her to just give away the prom dress. Let's just say my grandmother doesn't like anything that's not branded. My mom figured that it could be useful to someone in the future. It broke her heart, but she had to part with it", Danny said.

So that's why. I'm kind of glad she returned it though. It saved my neck.

"I'm glad you wore it. It really suits you, you know", he smiled.

I smiled back. "Thanks Danny".

He suddenly hummed a tune as he looked to the night sky.

"Danny, what are you humming?" I asked.

"Oh. Another song of Tom", he grinned.

"Oh? Please sing it to me!" I said excitedly. I was eager to hear another original of theirs.

"Really?"

"Yup! I wanna hear it now. My parents might come to pick me up after they do their rounds".

He finally gave in. "Okay".

He cleared his throat and began to sing:  
"Hey, I'm looking out for my Star Girl,  
I guess I'm stuck in this mad world,  
With things that I wanna say  
But you're a million miles away  
And I was afraid when you kissed me,  
On your intergalactical Frisbee  
I wonder why, I wonder why  
You never asked me to stay  
Oohh.  
So wouldn't you like to come with me?  
Oooh.  
Surfin' the sun as it starts to rise.  
Oohh.  
Woah. Your gravity's making me dizzy.  
Girl I gotta tell you.  
I'm feelin' much better  
Make a little love in the moonlight".

His voice let me breathless. I loved it whenever he sang. He grinned at me, and I could feel my legs turn into jelly.

Suddenly, I heard a honk outside the gates and I whirled around to look. It was me parents' car.

For some odd reason, Danny and I winded up here near the gates.

"Oh. I guess your parents are here", Danny said, shielding his eyes with his right hands from the light of the car.

It was a shame that they couldn't come. They were busy again. But I asked Janet, who was with the audience, to videotape everything.

"Yeah. I think I have to go now. Thanks for coming with me tonight Danny. I really had a blast. I'm your number one fan by the way", I grinned. He could go places. He did have immense talent, not to mention good looks and a wonderful personality.

"Aw… Thanks. Consider yourself my first fan then", he replied.

"Really? I guess I'm freakin' lucky then. I get free tickets to your concert okay? And dedicate one song to me!" I called as I hurried to the car.

"Sure! Definitely!" Danny yelled and waved goodbye to me.

I waved goodbye as well as Danny walked away to pick up his stuff from the guard house. My cheeks still burned as I got into the car. Danny always makes me feel this way…

Danny got his bag from the guardhouse. He zipped his bag open, and took out a large envelope. He took the contents out, which were a lot of papers with lyrics of his original songs.

He chuckled.

"You don't have to worry about a song dedicated to you. Because all of these love songs are dedicated to you Anthea", he said to himself as he proceeded to get into a taxi and go home.

Why was I always oblivious to these things?


	31. Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31 (THE WOODS)

"Dougie! Dougie! Wait! I have to pass first!" Tom yelled.

"Whatever Tom! I'm still gonna slide down! Heads up!" Dougie yelled and slid down the snowy slope with his snowboard.

Tom was still in the way. He was so slow in walking through the thick snow. Dougie missed him, but only by a few inches. We all thought he was going to collide with Tom.

Even though Tom didn't get hit, Dougie still slapped his head when he landed. Tom fell down and eyed Dougie menacingly.

Dougie was already sitting down, laughing so hard. Tom ran towards him and jumped on him. They were already wrestling, and Dougie was still laughing hard.

I laughed as I saw them wrestle each other. I saw my breath coming out in icy puffs. It seemed like Tom was already winning.

Finally, Tom managed to pin down Dougie. Tom had a smug smile on his face.

"Hah. Victory is mine", he declared with a haughty tone to his voice.

Dougie stuck out his tongue. "You only won because you're so big and fat". He laughed.

Whatever Dougie. Tom's not fat, or maybe you're just too scrawny compared to him.

Well, not of them were fat. They all looked fit to me.

Tom rolled his eyes and grinned. "Whatever. I still won".

Suddenly, a snowball hit Dougie. He whirled around to see who it was and saw Jessica giggling as she hid behind a tree.

Dougie walked towards her, a snowball in his hand. Jessica screamed when she saw him and ran. Dougie still managed to hit her with a snowball though. Jessica hit Dougie with one too.

After their snowball fight, the two sat side by side under a pinecone tree, eating peanuts together and laughing. They looked so sweet. I smiled when I observed them. I turned back to Tom. He was taking a picture of a squirrel on a tree stump.

It's great that Tom decided to take a picture of the squirrel. It was cute. His camera was really impressive. It was the latest model in professional photography. His riches amaze me.

Tom was silent, careful not to scare the squirrel. It looked so fragile. I think it would run away just by the sound of a twig breaking.

"Fiiiirrreeee!!!!!" Harry suddenly yelled as he and Danny emerged out of nowhere and ran towards the squirrel's direction.

"Get out Tom!!!!!" Danny yelled.

The squirrel was suddenly alarmed and scurried away hurriedly. Danny and Harry laughed when the squirrel ran away. Tom pouted.

"Aw! That could've been a good picture!" he complained.

"Oh. Sorry. We just couldn't resist", Danny grinned.

"Yeah. Besides, if you want to take a picture of a real squirrel, Danny's here". Harry teased. Danny punched Harry gently on the shoulder.

"Hey Anthea", Harry grinned and waved at me.

"Hi", Danny smiled at me, also waving his hand.

"Hey guys!" I greeted them and waved back to them.

I can't believe it's already Christmas vacation. Everything seems so fast. It's like I can't keep up anymore. For Christmas vacation, we all decided to head to a nearby national park called Winter Wonderland. It was a really nice and peaceful place. I loved it here.

"Antheaa!" Pamela called as she climbed up a snowy slope.

"Hey Pamela!" I called back.

Nicole appeared as well, following her. "Hey Anthea".

I waved to her. I loved the Irish twins. I had fun with them when we all went shopping together last week. They were really very pretty too.

Pamela ran to me as she went down the slope and hugged me tightly. I felt like she was already cutting off my air supply.

"I… Can't… Breathe… Pamela", I choked out.

She let go and took a deep breath. "Oh. Sorry Anthea! I just missed you, that's all".

I smiled. Pamela was so sweet. Nicole squatted on the ground and the squirrel that scurried away went near her, climbing on her shoulder.

"Hey Nicole. I didn't know you were good with animals", I said, surprised. I didn't know animals loved Nicole.

She shrugged and smiled. "I dunno. They just come to me".

"Hey guys! Danny, it's been so long since I've heard you guys sing original songs of yours. Won't you play for us?" Pamela requested, making puppy dog eyes.

"Oh sure. But we don't have guitars though", Danny said.

Pamela's shoulders suddenly drooped.

"Wait! I brought guitars!" Dougie said and we all turned around. He was holding two guitars.

"Whoa. You really brought those?" Danny asked.

"Wow Dougie", Jessica grinned.

"Yeah. You know how Pamela loves listening to our songs", Dougie grinned.

Tom appeared too, holding a guitar. Just where did they get those? The cabin's quite a long walk from here.

"Hey, where'd you guys get those? Did you really walk back to the cabin?" I asked.

"Nah. We placed them in the bushes over there. Dougie nearly sat on one", Tom replied.

Dougie laughed. "Well, I wasn't looking".

Tom, Danny and Dougie sat on a log. Nicole and Pamela were with me. Harry sat beside me.

"Well, I'm the drums so I can't join them", he grinned. He was so handsome. The snowy white place made him look even more gorgeous.

"You play the violin though", Pamela said.

"A bit. I'm not that good though", Harry replied, chuckling.

Wow. I can imagine him playing the violin in a nice outfit. I was giggling inside. I knew he'd look good.

The three began to strum their guitars. All of us were listening intently. Tom started to sing:

"Everything was going just the way I planned, the broccoli was done

She doesn't know that I'm a virgin in the kitchen

Coz it's normally my mom.

But then she called me and that's when,

She said to me

She wasn't coming 'round for tea".

My skin was breaking into goose bumps. Wow they were good, and Tom's voice was just dreamy. Then Danny started to sing:

"I should've known much better,

But it's so hard I can't forget her.

And she keeps playing me around.

But I'm trying so hard to impress her.

She puts me under so much pressure.

And I just wanted her to let me know.

She cares".

The song ended, leaving me awestruck. They simply amazed me.

Pamela clapped her hands loudly, grinning widely. "That was very good! What's the title of the song?"

"Broccoli", Dougie grinned.

Nicole laughed. "Really? It's a great song though".

"Wooah. Since when have you been nice?" Dougie asked. I smiled a bit. Was Nicole really that evil before?

"Since I matured", Nicole snapped back.

I laughed. Dougie really did hate the old Nicole. She seems fine now though.

I suddenly sneezed loudly. It was really cold, and my nose started to turn red.

"I'm okay. Just really cold", I replied and sniffed.

Harry went "aw.." and he suddenly hugged. I felt better now because of his body heat.

Plus the fact that my body was really heating up now. I can't believe Harry was doing this. My cheeks felt like they were scorched. I didn't want this sensation to end though.

"There, you feel much better?" Harry checked as he let go of me.

"Definitely", I replied.

More than better.

"Hey Anthea, I'm going to the falls later. You wanna come with me? The others are pretty busy and I don't want to be alone", Harry asked.

I nearly said yes, for Pete's sake it was the chance to be alone with Harry. But then I remembered that I had plans with Danny. We were supposed to build a snowman together today.

"Go on Anthea. You can go with Harry", Danny suddenly said.

I looked at him, a confused expression on my face. "What? Didn't we have plans today?"

"It's okay. I'll go with Dougie", Danny shrugged and smiled a bit.

Aw… Danny was doing everything to make me closer to Harry. He was such a sweetheart.

I didn't know though that this was causing him so much pain deep inside. But he just grinned and hid it. He just saw my expression brighten so much when Harry asked me that he couldn't help but just let me. All he cared about was my happiness.

"So it's settled then? You're coming with me?" Harry asked again, smiling.

"Sure Harry. I'd love to", I replied, grinning.

Yes! I'm going to be with Harry. I'm excited by how things'll turn out later.


	32. Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32 (CRUSHED AT THE FALLS)

Harry and I walked towards the falls in the park. It was chilly, so I kept on sneezing. Luckily, Harry had some tissue with him so he gave me some.

We finally reached the falls. It was a majestic sight. The water roared as it crashed down. It looked so beautiful. Harry was already taking a picture of the falls. I watched him as he clicked the button on his camera.

"Hey, you want to take a picture with me?" Harry suggested.

Of course! Would I even think twice about it?

"Sure Harry", I replied.

We both walked closer to the falls. Then we faced the camera that Harry was holding. He placed his free arm around my shoulder. My whole body began to tingle again.

"Okay. 1, 2, 3. Cheese!" Harry said.

"Cheese", I said.

The camera made a shutter sound and we both checked if our picture was okay. I looked at the picture as it flashed on the screen.

I beamed when I saw the picture. I didn't look at the falls first though. I looked at Harry and me. It was a really sweet picture.

I daydreamed… Again. This time, I daydreamed that Harry proposed to me here at the park. We were walking.

He'd suddenly say "Anthea, I have something really important to tell you".

I'd stop in my tracks. "What is it Harry?"

Then he'd bend down on one knee, take a small box from his pocket and open the box.

I would gasp because the box contained a beautiful diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" Harry would ask.

I'd scream and hug him, saying "YES!" all over again. It would be the moment of my life.

"Anthea? You still with me?" Harry suddenly asked.

I snapped back into reality. Pfft. Why couldn't I just live my daydreams for once?

"Oh. Harry. Sorry. I guess I spaced out for a bit", I said, smiling shyly.

That was embarrassing. And to think that Harry was the one who caught me daydreaming. I have got to stop this. Seriously.

I looked at Harry once more. Gosh he was gorgeous. Then again, I loved my daydreams.

Harry pinched my cheeks gently and laughed. He was always treating me like a kid.

"Aw… It's okay. You look so cute anyway. Honestly, you're really like the little sister that I never had", he chuckled.

That line really pierced through my heart like a stake. This was the second time that he said that to me. Only this time, the words finally started to sink in.

Before, it never really bothered me. But now, I felt like a rock hit my head. I realized it now.

My mind kept on telling me before that Harry only saw me as a little sister. I denied at though, brushing away the thought.

This time though, I don't think I can deny that fact anymore.

"Harry, you really see me as a little sister?" I asked.

Why couldn't I just shut up? I really think I'll get a painful answer for this question.

"Yeah Anthea. I really feel that way. You'll always be my little sister. Nothing can change that. No more, no less", Harry smiled innocently.

I felt like crying now. 'No more, no less', that really hurt.

I controlled myself from crying and just smiled at Harry. I shouldn't cry. This was such a trivial thing. I shouldn't let my feelings take over.

But I honestly wanted to cry and scream. If this was so trivial, why do I want to bawl?

"Thanks Harry. I'm… Er… Glad you feel that way", I replied, trying to hide my disappointment.

"Aw… Sure thing", he said and began to take pictures of the surroundings.

I looked at him, trying my best to feel cheerful. I couldn't feel happy now though.

Maybe I should go for a walk by myself. Harry would be fine here, and I'm pretty sure I won't get lost here. There were directions.

"Harry, do you mind if I take a walk by myself? It's been a while since I've roamed around here", I told him.

He began to think about it. "You sure? You might get lost".

"I'm sure Harry. You don't need to worry about me".

He hesitated again, but eventually gave in. "Okay. Don't get lost okay? Come back after an hour."

I nodded and bade him goodbye.

I started roaming around the forest here. I heard a twig crack as I dragged my boots.

I saw a huge mound of brown rock far away to my right. That was a really huge rock. It even looked kind of furry. That's a really weird rock.

I sighed, still depressed about what Harry said. I guess I am being a little sensitive, but I couldn't help but feel sad.

A pinecone suddenly hit my head. I yelped. I eyed the pinecone angrily as it hit the snowy ground. Everything was going so wrong today! I picked up the pinecone and hurled it hard at the furry rock, trying to vent my anger.

Suddenly, I heard something snarl loudly behind me. I jerked my head and gulped as I saw what it was.

The furry rock began to move. A head appeared, along with razor-sharp teeth and an angry face. That was no rock. It was a sleeping bear!


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33 (TRAPPED)

Oh no. Heck no! A bear! Why the heck did I have to hit it???

The bear slowly crouched towards me, snarling as it got inches closer. I gulped when it bared its teeth. Man, those looked deadly. It's like it could snap a tree into two!

Fear flooded me. What should I do? I panicked. I forgot what you should do when you came face to face with a bear. Jeez. I couldn't think straight once I panicked. What was it again?? I racked my brain for the answer but it wouldn't come.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Okay. Maybe I should just calm down. It might ignore me if I wasn't doing anything to provoke it.

The bear snarled at me again. This time, it was louder. I gulped. It was so not going away.

"Psst! Anthea!" a voice suddenly whispered from the trees behind me.

I jerked my head to where the voice came from. I saw that it was Danny behind a tree. He looked panicked.

"D-Danny? Y-you're here?" I stuttered. My voice was trembling so much now.

"Yup! Pretend that you're dead!" he hissed.

Oh yeah! That was the answer that I was searching for.

I immediately dropped to the ground and lay perfectly still. I didn't dare move a muscle. I only took a breath when I really needed to, or when I felt like suffocating. I closed my eyes and prayed that this would work.

The bear was already standing so close to me. I could feel its icy breath on my neck. It bent down its head and began to sniff me. I didn't move at all. It finally lost interest in me and began to walk away after sniffing me for a while.

I opened one eye and saw that the bear had already disappeared into the trees. I gave out a huge sigh and sat up. I brushed the snow from my thick jacket.

That was a close one. I would've been dead meat if Danny hadn't strolled by. It was such a scary experience. I shuddered when I thought about the traumatizing encounter.

Danny rushed to me. "Hey, you okay? I nearly had a freak when I saw you hurl that pinecone at the bear".

I nodded and tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. I sniffed. The tears began to slowly pour down my cheeks. I was just so scared. I was really scared to death.

Danny began to get all worried. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and started to wipe the tears gradually streaming down my cheeks.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry. I was just… So scared", I sniffed. I sighed and finally managed to calm down.

Danny smiled at me, his blue eyes sparkling. I felt much better that he was here. His presence was so comforting.

"Are you fine now?" he checked.

I nodded, starting to smile too. "Much better. Thanks to you".

My stomach suddenly grumbled. I was already feeling very hungry. I grinned sheepishly at Danny.

"I brought a couple of sandwiches", he said and began to search his bag for food. He took out four sandwiches neatly wrapped in foil.

"Is bacon and egg okay with you?" he asked, offering me two sandwiches.

"Really? Thanks! Thanks so much Danny!" I exclaimed graciously as I took the sandwiches.

I unwrapped one and began to dig in. It was really yummy. My hunger suddenly evaporated. Danny bit into his sandwich as well. I managed to finish my share in a few minutes. I was finally satisfied. I really owed Danny one.

"Wait. I think I've got some drinks here", Danny said as he began to rummage through his bag again.

I nearly jumped when he took out the drinks.

"Oh my gosh! You have Minute Maid?? Orange-flavoured too!" I exclaimed, getting all hyper.

"Yeah. I just love it. Especially with the pulp", he chuckled and handed me one bottle of it.

I was always so obsessed with Minute Maid. I never found a drink more addicting than it.

"Thanks!" I grinned. I began to drink the bottle quickly. I managed to down it after a few minutes. When I was done, I burped loudly. I blushed. That was so gross and unlady-like.

To my surprise, Danny burped louder. I laughed. I guess I'm not alone.

"Better out than in", Danny said.

"I'm totally with you", I agreed.

"Why don't we roam around? I hear there's a fancy cabin here".

"Sure. Why not? I don't have anything else to do".

We stood up and began roaming around. I glanced at Danny from time to time. He looked very handsome, even when he was wrapped in a jacket and wearing a bonnet. I could feel my heart flutter. I don't think I've felt this way with Harry. I do go gaga over him. But with Danny, things seemed more comfortable and warm.

We trudged through the snow for quite a while. Danny was leading the way. We finally saw a cabin after our long trek.

The cabin seemed unoccupied. It was a quaint thing. Its wood looked like it was more than a decade old. Nevertheless, it was very cute because it had an intricate carving on the door and it looked sturdy.

We walked towards it. Danny knocked on the door.

"Anybody home?"

No one answered. Danny shrugged.

"No one's here", he said.

I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. I didn't expect it to open.

The door opened, creaking a bit. It revealed a cozy setting. There were a few sofas and a small coffee table with a vase on it. Paintings hung on the wall and there was a fireplace. I saw a huge teddy bear sitting in a corner. There was a small piano in the right side and there was a guitar beside it. There was a huge portrait above the fireplace showing a couple with a baby in the middle. I observed the portrait. The man had blonde hair and blue eyes. The woman had curly brown hair and hazel eyes. They both looked sweet together, not to mention good-looking.

The child in the middle was a combination of the two. She had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. The offspring was beautiful, and she bore characteristics of her parents that mixed well together. Talk about a perfect couple.

Danny and I entered the cabin. We decided to look around a bit here.

"Danny, what is this place?" I asked as my eyes scanned the room.

"I heard that this once belonged to a couple. They loved the place so much, they decided to have a cabin built here for their private use", Danny explained.

"Oh. I see", I replied.

It was so nice here. I guess we could stick around here for a while.

Danny went inside one room. I decided to go inside a pink room. I saw a sign hanging on the wall that said "For our beloved daughter". Aw… That was so sweet. The room was filled with huge dolls that were so adorable. The bed was neatly fixed, and a music box was on top of a table. I sat down on the bed, feeling very comfortable. I didn't want to go out of this room just yet.

I should've gone out though.

Dougie and Pamela passed by the cabin, playfully poking each other and laughing.

"Hey, there's a cabin here", Dougie said as he saw the cabin.

"I didn't know that. Let's go inside", Pamela suggested. Dougie agreed.

The two went inside and were amazed when they saw the place. They suddenly saw Danny's bag on the floor.

"Oh. This place is occupied", Pamela said.

"They forgot to lock the place. Why don't we lock it for them?" Dougie suggested.

Pamela nodded and searched the room for the key. She found it hanging on a nail just behind the door.

"I've got the key. Let's lock the place up because they might get robbed", Pamela said.

"Yeah. Come on", Dougie said and went outside.

Pamela placed the key in the keyhole, twisted it, and locked the door. She was smiling proudly at her deed.

"Let's just leave the key under the mat. I'll make a note for the owners", Dougie suggested.

"No. Let's just inform a ranger here to tell the owners that we locked the place up for them", Pamela said.

Dougie nodded, placed the key under the mat and the two walked away.

While Danny and I were in the rooms of the cabin, we were completely unaware that we were already locked up in the place. And we couldn't get out in the morning.

"Okay. I'm done here", I said when I was finally satisfied. I went out of the room and went back to the living room. I walked towards the doorknob and twisted it.

It wouldn't budge. I froze. What was going on?

I twisted the doorknob again, but it was useless. I began to rattle the door but it still wouldn't budge.

"Oh man… Danny! I think we're locked up here!" I said.

Danny appeared out of the other room and looked confused.

"That can't happen", he said and tried to open the door.

The same thing happened. It wouldn't open. It's like the doorknob had a mind of its own.

"Wait. I think there's a key hanging around here", he said and searched the room. He saw a nail on the back of the door and his eyes widened.

"What the? I could swear that I saw the key there!" he exclaimed loudly.

"Oh no. Danny, we're locked up here", I said.

I took out my cell phone from my pocket and checked it. "There's no signal".

As if on cue, heaps of snow suddenly started to fall down. The wind began to blow loudly outside. I looked out of the window.

Great. We really couldn't get out now. There was a fierce snow storm outside.

I sighed. "Oh well. We can't go out now. We'll just have to wait until morning".

Danny sighed and agreed. There was nothing we could do.

Oh well. At least I'm stuck with Danny. I couldn't have asked for better company.

"Oh man!" Pamela exclaimed as she entered the cabin. Tom, Harry and Nicole looked at her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nicole asked her twin.

"We became good citizens for nothing", Dougie said as he entered the cabin as well.

"What did you guys do?" Tom asked.

"Well, we found this unlocked cabin. So we decided to lock it for the owners because they might get robbed", Pamela started to explain.

"Then we placed the key under the mat. After that, we went to a ranger to tell him that we locked the place up for the owners", Dougie added.

"But… It turns out that no one was occupying the place at the moment", Pamela said.

"Oh. That's odd", Jessica said.

"Yeah. That's weird. Then why'd you think they forgot to lock up the place?" Harry asked.

"Well, we saw a blue bag on the floor", Pamela answered, a puzzled tone to her voice.

"Blue bag? Do you know what brand it was?" Tom asked interestedly.

"It was a Jansport bag with a soccer ball keychain on it", Pamela replied.

Tom and Harry exchanged surprised glances. Dougie wondered at their expressions, then his eyes widened and he slapped his forehead.

"Oh man! I'm such an idiot!" he exclaimed.

"Why Dougie?" Pamela asked.

"That was Danny's bag! We locked him up there!"

"Whaat?"

"I think Anthea's with him too. She's not here".

"Oh dear. I can't believe we did this to them! I'm going out to get them!"

Tom stopped Pamela. "Wait. You can't go out. There's a snowstorm!"

"But Danny! And Anthea!" she protested.

"It's too dangerous. Don't worry. I think they can manage there in the cabin. They're not in danger or anything. besides, you know Danny. He can take care of Anthea", Tom said calmly.

Pamela wouldn't agree, but she had to. There was nothing that she could do.

"Fine. But I'm going there first thing in the morning", she mumbled as she sat down on a chair, crossing her arms.

"Dougie, why didn't you recognize Danny's bag?" Harry asked.

"Er… I… I forgot okay?" he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh well. We'll just come for them in the morning", Nicole suggested.

As much as everyone hated to stay in the cabin, they had no choice. They had to wait for morning to come before they could rescue us.

Danny and I decided that there was nothing left to do but just stay here. We couldn't just go and wander outside with the storm.

We were lucky we were in this particular cabin though. We managed to find a room filled with canned mushroom soup and some bread. There was a stock room here after all. There were also canned corn and meat inside.

We ate some of it. We'd just replace what we'd eaten. Besides, we needed food desperately.

We sat down on the sofa. Danny suddenly challenged me to a thumb war. I fought valiantly, but I still lost. His thumb was so big!

"Wait. I have a letter for you from someone", he said and grabbed his bag, rummaging through it.

He pulled out a long bond paper. He handed it to me. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw what was written on the piece of paper.

I saw the genetic code chart. What was this? I also saw DNA patterns on the middle of the paper, with blanks on top of each pattern. On the lower left of the column was a set of proteins with a corresponding letter of the alphabet. It's kind of like the protein methionine corresponds to the letter 'A', protein valine corresponds to letter 'B', and so on.

"What the heck is this Danny?" I asked as I surveyed the paper.

"Easy. You decode the message by solving the genetic code of the DNA pattern. You've got the genetic code of the DNA pattern. You've got the genetic code chart, so it'll be pretty easy", Danny grinned.

Oh yeah. We had an activity like this during Biology class one time.

"Here, let me help you solve the first letter. The pattern's CTG. Just change T to U. So it's CUG. Now, look at the chart. It's under C… Here. Now go for U… There. Then G. So it's the protein leucine. Now, look at the protein chart. Leucine's letter 'I'". Danny explained and scribbled the letter 'I' on the blank. "Simple, but kind of a long process".

"I see", I nodded and started solving. Okay. Yeah it was pretty long and I got confused sometimes.

I was shocked though when I finished the first sentence. I managed to decode the message: "I love you".

Oh my gosh! Who wrote this??

"Danny, is this letter really for me?" I asked, unsure. Surely this couldn't be mine.

"Yup. Oh you've decoded the first sentence. Well, it's simple. It's a love letter for you. Only that you still have to decode it by finding the genetic code", Danny grinned.

Wooah. The one who made this was a really smart person. And dedicated too. This was a hard thing to compile. I blushed. This was a really intelligent way of expressing one's feeling.

I liked it. So I got to work, with Danny helping me. In the end, I got so sleepy that I decided to stop. There was still a lot more though, but I managed to decode this:

"I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't say things directly. I wanted a better way of expressing my feelings. I know you can do this though. I'm crazy for you".

I was really surprised and very touched. Well, I had to sleep. The message was very clear now anyway.

I said goodnight to Danny and thanked him for helping me decode the love letter.

I went to the pink room again. I lay down on the bed. I would fix it when I wake up. I yawned and drifted into sleep.

I couldn't sleep peacefully. The room seemed scary with all the dolls. Plus the snow outside was crashing to the ground loudly and the wind howled. I kept on waking up. I opened my eyes, and saw a spider crawling up the ceiling.

That settled things. I was going out right now! No way was I going to spend the night with an eight-legged freak.

I slowly got out of my bed and opened the door. I removed my jacket.

I heard a guitar strumming and Danny humming. I quietly went outside and watched him sing with his perfectly gorgeous voice:

"Everyday feels like a Monday

There is, no escaping from the heartache

Now I've, gotta put it back together

Coz it's, always better late than never

Wishing, I could be in California.

I wanna tell you when I call you,

I wish I'd fallen in love,

I could've fallen in love.

Out of our minds, out of time.

Wishing I could be with you.

To share the view.

Ooh, we could've fallen in love,

Wooah. Oh. Wooah. Oh."

He stopped singing and just strummed his guitar. Aw… That was so sweet.

"Hey Danny. Nice song", I said as I crept out of the room.

He nearly jumped from the sofa he was sitting on. "Anthea! You nearly scared me to death!"

I chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that. I didn't know you'd get scared".

I sat beside him, he grinned at me.

"You couldn't sleep?" he gently asked me.

"Yeah. I don't know why though… Oh. There was a spider on the ceiling", I replied.

Danny laughed. "A spider scared you?"

"Yeah. I hate eight-legged freaks".

He laughed again. I sneezed.

"Aw. You're cold. Here's a blanket", he said and gave me a blanket. I thanked him.

I was starting to feel sleepy, and my head kept on bobbing.

"Here. Why don't you rest your head on my shoulder?" Danny offered.

"Oh. Danny, you don't mind?" I asked.

"Not at all. Go on".

"Aw… You're so sweet. Thanks".

I placed my head on his shoulder. He sang the song he was singing gently. I finally felt relaxed and so warm.

I guess I'm falling for Danny now. My heart pounded fast. I was only infatuated with Harry, but I sincerely liked Danny.

"Danny, thanks a lot. Goodnight", I told him and kissed him gently on the cheek. I yawned and dozed off after that.

Danny smiled to himself. He shivered, so he also grabbed the blanket. He was humming a tune.

He finally felt sleepy and yawned. He looked at me and stroked my hair gently.

"Goodnight. Nothing bad will happen to you as long as I'm here", he whispered as he kissed my forehead.

After that, he dozed off. We slept peacefully, my head on his shoulder and a blanket wrapped around us. Even if we were just on the sofa, things were still comfortable.


	34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34 (ICE SKATING AND A MOVIE)

I woke up early. Sunlight was streaming through the window, making me squint as I opened my eyes.

I was still resting on Danny's shoulder. I slowly shifted my head away from his shoulder.

I yawned and looked at him again. He was pretty handsome, even when he was sleeping. I could feel my heart beating again when I looked at him.

He suddenly stirred and opened his eyes. He blinked once or twice. Then he yawned and grinned, flashing his perfect white teeth.

"Hey. Good morning", he greeted me as he smiled.

I felt like melting now.

"Hi Danny. Did you sleep well?" I asked him.

"Yup. Even if I was only sleeping on the sofa", he replied.

Suddenly, something dropped on the blankets. I turned to look at it, and I screamed when I saw it.

"Oh my gosh! It's a spider!! Danny!!" I screamed and stood up on the sofa, throwing away the blanket.

Danny stood up too and stared at the blanket. He squinted at it.

"There's no spider here", he told me.

Oh man. Where was the little freak?

Danny was suddenly gaping at me, like I looked like a freak.

"Anthea, don't freak okay? It'll all be over soon", he said calmly as he approached me.

I looked at Danny with a confused expression on my face. What was he saying?

"Danny? What do you mean?" I asked him.

"You really want to know?" he asked.

"Yeah. I won't really freak".

"Er… Look at your shirt".

I looked at my shirt, my eyes the size of golf balls.

"Oh my gosh!! The spider's on my shirt!! Um… Danny… Er… Please get it off??" I pleaded him, dancing around like an idiot.

Danny rushed to me and brushed the spider from my shirt. The spider fell to the floor and scurried away quickly.

I screamed again and hugged Danny tightly. I was trembling now. Spiders scared me so much.

"Is it gone? Is it gone? Is it gone?" I asked him over and over again.

Danny laughed. "It's gone now".

I looked at the place and at my shirt. It was gone now.

I gave out a huge sigh. I could finally relax now. My heart wasn't speeding like a wild horse anymore.

Danny was still grinning. "Do spiders really scare you?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Er… Yeah. They scare the hell out of me".

I realized that I was still hugging Danny. I really looked into his eyes. My heart began to beat, again. He looked into my eyes too, turning red. I smiled.

"Danny, I'm glad I'm stuck with you", I told him.

"Oh? Why?" he asked.

"Because you make things so much better. Just when everything is going wrong and things are just a little strange. I know it sounds awkward, but that's how I really feel", I told him, smiling. Yup. It did sound cheesy, but that's really how I felt.

He blushed and smiled. "Aw… Thanks a lot".

I smiled at him again, released him and sat down on the sofa. He sat down as well beside me.

I looked out the window. It was a really sunny day today.

Suddenly, Danny held my hand. I turned to look at him and saw a serious expression on his face, like he was dying to tell me something. He placed his hand on my cheek. My cheeks were burning. I wondered why he was acting this way.

"What's wrong Danny?" I gently asked him.

"Um… Forget solving the genetic code letter Anthea. I know who sent you that", he replied.

I flinched. "Really? Who was it?"

Deep inside though, I think I knew who sent it… No. it can't be him. He's probably the last person who would send that to me. Then again, there are so many possibilities in the world.

Maybe… It was really Danny. Even though I wouldn't accept that possibility, a part of me was hoping it was him.

Pfft. Or maybe I'm just out of my mind. Still… A girl can dream right?

"I want to tell you now. That's why I'm not letting you solve it anymore. Anthea, the truth is…" he said but the door flew open and interrupted him. He pulled his arm away quickly.

Darn it! My heart was already speeding and my world was spinning, and this happens?

Pamela's face peeped from the door, grinning at us.

Oh. It was Pamela. My irritation immediately disintegrated. I couldn't get angry at Pamela.

Pamela ran to Danny and hugged him tightly.

"Danny! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I locked you up here yesterday! I didn't know. But I really am sorry!" she apologized over and over again.

Danny only grinned. "Hey it's okay. We managed to survive the night anyway".

Oh. So that's what happened!

I smiled. "It's okay Pamela. Things were fine last night".

"Er… She wasn't the only one who locked you guys up, you know", a voice said.

I turned and saw Dougie smiling embarrassingly.

Danny rolled his eyes at him and grinned. "Nah. It's okay Dougie. We didn't have a problem last night".

"Wooah. You two were the only ones here last night?" Pamela asked.

We both nodded.

"Yup. No one else was here. Just the two of us", Danny replied.

Pamela gasped and smiled slyly. "Oh my gosh! Danny! Did something happen between you guys?"

Danny blushed furiously and smiled a bit. "Pamela! Nothing happened okay? Hey, don't give me that look. I swear, nothing happened".

She only rolled her eyes and smiled widely. "Oh really? Hm… Danny! You should have seized your opportunity last night! I thought you-" she said but Dougie suddenly nudged her. They were whispering, so I couldn't hear what Dougie was telling her.

"Pamela! She still doesn't know. Let Danny tell her someday", Dougie whispered to her.

"Oh. Sorry", Pamela whispered to him.

I only smiled at them. It was perfectly fine. Even when it was practically obvious that they were keeping a secret from me.

"Anthea, you're safe!" Tom's voice exclaimed all of a sudden.

He was standing behind the door now. Harry and Jessica arrived too.

Tom proceeded to hug me. Harry also hugged me. He was especially worried about me. Nicole appeared as well.

It's funny, but I don't feel that crazy for Harry anymore. Sure I was kind of hurt inside, but not really crushed. There was still a crush, but nothing more than that. In fact, he seemed like a caring older brother to me now.

My eyes looked at the portrait of the couple in the room again. I wondered who they were. Maybe Tom knew. He did have connections after all.

"Tom, do you know who owns this cabin?" I asked him.

"Oh. Let's see. I think it was Evaline Blanks and Skyler Blitter", Tom replied.

No way. Oscar-winning Blanks and Grammy-winner Blitter owned this cabin? No wonder the portrait seemed a bit familiar. And their daughter, super-famous actress Adrienne Blitter, once lived here?

"Tom, you're not pulling my leg?" I slowly asked him.

Tom shrugged and smiled. "Yeah. I'm pretty positive. You can't recognize them in that picture though because that was taken before they became really famous. They married young".

This day was just crazy. I actually slept in the cabin of an ultra-famous family.

"Anthea, you okay?" Tom asked.

"Er… Sure Tom. Oh my gosh. They won't mind, will they?" I asked anxiously.

Tom shook his head. "Nope. I'm pretty sure Uncle Blitter and my cousin Adrienne would be relieved even. At least you guys had a place to stay. They'd be worried sick".

"What? They're your relatives??"

"Er… Yeah. They're my father's family side. Uncle Blitter was my father's cousin".

Wooah. I so envy Tom now. Rich and related to celebrities? I think that's enough to turn anyone green with envy.

"Hm… Since we're done here, why don't we go to Dougie's place?" Harry suggested.

Everyone immediately agreed. Pamela looked very excited once she heard the idea.

"Harry, you're a genius. Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go? You don't mind Dougie?" Tom said.

Dougie shrugged. "Nope. Not at all".

"Excellent".

We walked all the way to Tom's car in the parking lot, placing all our baggage inside it. Harry was driving the car.

I sat next to Danny. I wonder why they were all excited. Dougie must have a grand place.

"Danny, what's up with Dougie's place?" I asked him.

"You'll see. It's one of the best places ever", he replied.

I nodded, imagining what Dougie's place looked like as Harry started to rev the engine and drive away.

"Danny! Danny! Please don't let me go!" I panicked, as I tried to balance on my ice skates.

"Whoa. Slowly. Wait! I don't know how to skate!" Danny replied, also trying his best to balance on his skates as he held my hand.

Great. We both didn't know how to skate on ice.

Anyway, it would be fun I guess.

I still can't believe that Dougie's place… No. Kingdom, was this big.

He actually had a rest house just a few minutes away from the park. It was huge. The house was made out of the finest mahogany and was well-furnished with thirty rooms. I could feel my mouth slowly dropping as I entered paradise. There was a bowling alley, a jacuzzi, an arcade center, home theatre and this ice skating rink outside the house! Everything was simply amazing.

Dougie's father actually owned a famous wine company that had branches all over the world. His mom was a famous architect who was always in demand by other countries.

Man they were rich.

So here I was with Danny, trying our best to skate. However, we weren't so good.

I suddenly slipped but didn't fall. Danny was still holding on to me.

Correction: we sucked at this.

"Danny, you sure you don't know how to skate?" I asked him.

"Sorry. I'm not exactly graceful you know", he replied, chuckling.

I grinned and rolled my eyes.

Oh well. At least I wasn't alone.

"Danny, you can let go. I think I can manage now", I told him.

He let go of me gently. I skated a few inches but then I began to wobble again. I was going to fall.

"Danny! I think I'm gonna fall!" I told him.

"Oh! Wait!" he said and skated towards me.

It didn't take him long before he lost his balance though. He was about to crash into me.

"Danny! Be careful!" I said.

The opposite happened though, and Danny crashed into me.

I toppled to the ice rink. I was expecting a sharp pain on my back, but Danny placed his arms around me to break my fall.

I was lying on the rink, my eyes on Danny. He was hugging me, so I wouldn't have to experience a painful fall.

Aw… The things that he did for me.

I saw Danny wince a bit. He looked like he was in pain but he shrugged it off. He smiled at me.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Danny! I'm fine but what about you?" I asked.

"I'm okay. My arm hurts but it'll be fine".

"Danny, you shouldn't have done that. Aw… Thanks so much Danny. I really appreciate it".

"Nah. No problem".

I looked into his eyes intently. I could feel a warm sensation spread throughout my body. Danny looked at me too, and began to blush.

"Um… I'd better get off you now", he suggested and started to stand up.

"Yeah", I replied and stood up as well.

Thank God no one was here to see us. They were all exploring the different places in Dougie's house.

Danny and I slowly skated until we were out of the rink. Thankfully, no more accidents happened.

We removed our skates, put on our shoes, and went outside the rink. Snow was still falling gently to the ground.

"What do you suppose we should do now?" I asked him.

"Well. We could watch a movie", he suggested.

"Ooh! That would be great! Let's watch in Dougie's home theatre?"

"Of course!"

And so, we proceeded to the rest house again. I was definitely in the mood for a movie.

"Hm… There's a lot of DVDs, but I can't choose", I said as I looked at the huge DVD rack in the home theatre.

It was a nice and cozy place, with about twenty-five plushy theatre seats. The movie screen was very wide as well.

Danny was searching through the racks as well. He suddenly grinned when he saw one DVD.

"You found a good one Danny?" I asked him as soon as I saw his bright expression.

He took out the DVD from the rack. "Well, I think you might like this".

He showed me the DVD and I gasped when I saw the title of the movie.

It was "A Walk to Remember".

I immediately agreed. "Nice choice Danny! I haven't watched the movie yet. But I did read the book! I even cried. Nicholas Sparks became one of my favourite authors after I read 'A Walk to Remember'".

"You haven't watched a movie yet? You have got to watch this then".

"I know".

"Well, let's play it then".

Danny placed the DVD player that was hooked to the projector. The movie began to start. I quickly went to the seat in front and sat there, eager for the movie. Danny sat beside me.

I was crying so much now as the movie unfolded. We were already in the part where Jamie told Brandon that she had leukemia.

I kept on wiping my tears with the back of my hand. Gosh this movie was so sad. Danny chuckled and handed me his handkerchief.

"Th-Thanks Danny", I sniffed as I took his handkerchief and wiped my tears.

Finally, we were already in the wedding scene. Jamie, though weakened by her disease, was walking down the aisle in her beautiful wedding gown, slowly getting nearer to her ever-loyal boyfriend Brandon. It was such a touching scene.

It was all too much and I began to bawl. This was such a great scene. It's sad but at the same time kind of happy. I was bawling so loudly now. Danny looked surprised and smiled at me.

"You okay?" he asked me.

"No I'm not. Everything's freakin' sad", I replied, crying. Without even thinking, I hugged Danny and cried over his shoulder. I just needed a hug to calm me down a bit.

"Aw… Jamie… Brandon… Jamie… Brandon… WHY???" I cried over his shoulder.

Gosh I was so emotional over films.

I didn't know that by now, Danny's heart was beating fast and he was blushing.

He smiled and stroked my hair. "It's okay. Cry all you want on my shoulder".

It took me a few more minutes before I could calm down. I thanked Danny when I did; he was very patient with me. I went back to watching the movie, without the loud bawls now.

It was already in the end. Jamie already died and Brandon grew up to be a responsible guy, far from the guy he used to be before. Who knew that he was once a reckless dude before? Then he, he says the familiar line as the movie slowly ends:

"Jamie's love is like the wind. I can't see it, but I can feel it".

Then, the movie ends and the credits start to roll.

I cried again. Danny's handkerchief was already soggy from my tears. I think my eyes must be super red by now; probably even blood-shot.

Danny went to the DVD player and got the DVD. He returned it to the rack. He went back to me and had a shocked expression on his face.

"What is it?" I asked him when he flashed that expression.

"Your eyes… They're so red", he replied.

"Oh my gosh! Really?"

"Yeah. Blood-shot".

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. I can't go out looking like this".

"Um… Don't worry. I think I've got something here".

He began to rummage his pockets and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.

Okay. I couldn't complain. This would have to do.

"Sunglasses during winter? Well, odd but I'll definitely agree. Thanks Danny!" I told him as I put on the sunglasses.

"Well, you won't be alone. I'll wear these too", he said and put on his sunglasses.

I laughed. "Really Danny? You don't mind looking like an idiot? I mean, I can do this all by myself".

"Nope. Besides, I won't let you be a goof by yourself. I might as well join in".

I chuckled. That was so sweet. He wouldn't let me be alone.

"I didn't know you'd cry so much", he said.

"Me too! I never expected it to happen. Yeah, I knew I'd cry but I never thought it would be that awful", I replied.

"It's okay. I often see that".

I suddenly held up my smallest finger.

"Danny, promise me you won't tell anyone that I cried so much because of 'A Walk to Remember'. Please? I don't think I can bear the humiliation", I told him.

"Um… Sure. But seriously, it's not that embarrassing", he replied.

"Well, I just want this to be a secret between us. Okay? Pinky swear?"

He agreed and the promise was made.

"Yup. I promise you", he grinned.

I smiled. "Thanks a lot Danny".

We decided to go outside the theatre now. We were both wearing sunglasses. So yeah, we did look like idiots.

We went to the enormous living room and everyone else was there. Harry and Tom were sitting on the huge sofa. Tom was reading a book and Harry was drawing on his sketch pad.

Dougie was also sitting on the sofa, playing with his pet hamster that Jessica kept on squeezing. I swear, I'm scared for the hamster. Jessica might squeeze the life out of it. Nicole and Pamela were playing a game of chess as they sat on the carpet.

Tom looked up and burst into laughter when he saw us.

Danny and I only grinned widely.

"Guys? Seriously, sunglasses during winter?" Tom asked, his voice shaking with laughter.

The rest looked up as well and also began to laugh.

"Okaay. We do look like goofballs but we have a good reason", Danny told them.

"Which we can't tell. Don't mind us", I grinned at them.

Dougie laughed again. "Whatever", he suddenly looked like he had an idea. He carefully cradled the hamster in his hands and went near to Nicole. Nicole wasn't facing him, since she was concentrating on the game. Pamela saw him and signalled him to go for it. Dougie was about to put the hamster in Nicole's shirt when Nicole suddenly spoke up.

"Dougie, don't you even try", she said and turned to him. A smile was pasted on her face.

"Aw… How did you know?" Dougie pouted.

"Your perfume's… Er… Pretty strong you know. I can smell you from a mile away".

Dougie sniffed his shirt.

"Oh yeah. I did put too much", he grinned.

Everyone chuckled. Nicole was right. Even I could smell Dougie; and I was a few meters away from him.

After roaming around for a few more hours, we decided to go home. Tom had to go anyway; his family had this huge party back at their mansion.

We drove around for some time before we reached our houses. Nicole and Pamela were dropped off first. I waved goodbye to Jessica. She was still squeezing Dougie's hamster before she left. I pitied the poor thing. Finally, we reached my house. I thanked all of them. Danny took off his sunglasses and winked at me. I smiled. I gave him back his sunglasses. My eyes were fine now anyway.

I greeted my parents and my baby brother Kristoph ince I arrived at home. They were in the kitchen, eating home-made cookies.

"Oh yeah. There's this small card for you. A boy delivered it here", my mom told me, pulling out a small card from her pocket and handing it to me,

It was an 'I'm sorry' card. There was this puppy who had big, crying eyes on the front. I opened it and saw the message written:

"I'm sorry. Can we talk? Meet me tomorrow at the Ice Cream Monster at 10 am"

-Sincerely, Kyle

I smiled. That was nice. At least he was apologizing. I would definitely meet up with him tomorrow.

"Thanks Mom", I told my mom and pecked her on the cheek.

I picked up my cell phone and sent a message to Kyle saying that I would come over tomorrow.

I went to my room and dropped my bag to the floor. I opened my bag and took out the genetic code letter. I got my ball pen as well.

I immediately got to work. I sat on my bed, my backing resting on a pillow. I began to decode the message further.

In the end, I managed to decode the message. But I was already sleepy, so I stopped. However, I did manage to decode this:

"I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't say things directly. I wanted a better way of expressing my feelings. I know you can do this though. I'm crazy for you. Seriously, sometimes I can't sleep at night. Haha. Anyway, I just want to let you know that you mean a lot to me. Thanks for making me smile. I'll always be there for you".

After that, it was the first two letters of the name of the sender. But I was too sleepy to remember.

I called it a night and went to sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

CHAPTER 35 (SMUDGE)

I was sitting inside the Ice Cream Monster. I looked at the wall clock, it was exactly 9:55 am. Oh well. Kyle wasn't here yet, but I would wait for him. I really think that we should patch things up.

Suddenly, Blankside's new song 'Everytime' began to play in the restaurant. I smiled. This was such a great morning.

Kyle finally arrived. I waved my hand. He smiled when he saw me. He was holding a square-like thing in his hand. The object was wrapped in pink gift wrapper.

Hm… I wonder what that's for.

He sat down beside me, smiling widely.

"Hey", he greeted me.

"Hey Kyle. How are things?" I asked him.

"Fine. I just asked you to come here because I wanted to apologize for the way I acted last time. It was very rude of me".

"Aw Kyle. It's okay. I'm not mad."

"I thought about what you said. Yeah. I shouldn't have tried to use you. I was just depressed that my girlfriend broke up with me. There were misunderstandings between us. I wanted to use you to make her jealous. Sorry about that".

"It's alright Kyle. I really appreciate it that you apologized. Thank you".

"Well, I found a way to make it up to you. Here".

He handed me the wrapped parcel. My face brightened when he did that.

I always loved receiving gifts.

I slowly opened the wrapper. I stared at the gift and nearly screamed.

There it was, wrapped in plastic. It was Blankside's latest album. I was absolutely dying to get a copy of their latest album!

Kyle, you just fulfilled my wish list.

"Oh my gosh Kyle!! Thank you!!" I squealed and hugged him.

was so happy now. Kyle smiled when I let go of him.

"By the way, their new single 'Everytime' just topped the charts", he told me.

"Oh my gosh! That's great!" I replied enthusiastically.

After that, we kept on talking about Blankside. They were getting a bit popular now.

I was happy. At least they were now given the credit. They deserved it so much.

Our order finally came: two glasses of lemonade and two banana splits.

We began eating our banana splits, chatting while doing so. It was great that things worked out for the two of us. At least we were back to being friends now.

I grabbed my small pouch from the seat and took out the genetic code letter and a ball pen.

Maybe I should work on it now. After all, there were only a few letters left before it could show who the sender was.

Let's see… D… A… Blank… Blank… Blank… Okay… Hey… Wait a second! That's weird. I didn't realize that the first two letters of the sender's name was D and A. After all, I was too sleepy last night. So I probably missed that bit.

Oh my gosh. Something just hit me. Was it possible that Danny was the one who sent me this? I scanned the paper one last time. Yup. Definitely D, A and three blanks.

My heart began to sprint again, and there was this faint hope in me that Danny really was the one who sent this to me.

I simply couldn't believe it. I don't think I'm Danny's type though. Sure we're great as friends, but as a couple? I have no idea.

"Hey, what's that you've got? I see a genetic code chart", Kyle said as he sipped on his lemonade.

"Yeah. It's a letter", I replied.

Kyle looked at it and smiled. "Hey… It's a love letter. Wooah. This guy went through a lot of effort to make something like this. I'm impressed."

I blushed and smiled back. "Yeah. The first two letters of the guy's name are D and A. After that, there are three blanks. I'm gonna finish it now".

"Oh come on Anthea. Isn't it obvious?"

"Really? Er… Sorry. I don't have a clue."

"Anthea, it's plain to see that it's from Danny".

"What? Quit joking me Kyle. Very funny".

"I'm not kidding, okay? I don't believe you."

I don't believe him. Danny liking me? Please. I'm the last girl he'd fall for. I'm so clumsy, I'm wimpy, and I cry so much. As if he'd like me.

"Seriously, there's just something in his eyes when he looks at you. And he seems so protective about you", Kyle said.

I fell silent. There was truth in what he said. Danny definitely showed these signs. And he was always so sweet to me.

But still, was it even possible?

"Come on, it's easy. D… A… N… N… Y. it fits", Kyle said, pointing to the letter.

"Oh come on. You don't even have a basis. You didn't even solve it", I complained.

All of a sudden, a girl bumped into Kyle as she went over to one table. Kyle accidentally slapped his glass of lemonade and the liquid spilled all over the genetic code letter, making all the DNA patterns blurry. I couldn't read it anymore.

Oh. My. Gosh. How was I supposed to know who sent this?? Darn it!!

I nearly cried. I worked so hard for this. Heck, I even slept late just for this.

Kyle was staring at the letter, his eyes wide. "Anthea, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it".

I just sighed and smiled weakly. There was nothing that I could do. Maybe I'll try blow-drying it for one whole night.

"It's okay Kyle. I understand", I said as I picked up the piece of paper. It wasn't that wet, but the liquid made it impossible to read. The only clear part was DA_ _ _. I decided to leave it on the table to dry for some time.

"But Anthea, I'm serious, it's really Danny", Kyle insisted.

"Kyle, that's not possible. Danny and I are only friends okay?" I replied

Well, I was telling the truth right? We were only friends. We weren't dating or anything… It's just that… I do like him now.

"Well, I don't think he feels that way. He really likes you, you know", Kyle argued.

I thought about it. Maybe it was possible. I was hoping that it really was. I smiled a bit, kind of happy by the thought.

"You seem to be over your crush on Harry", Kyle suddenly remarked, grinning.

I gasped and glared at him. "How did you know?"

"It's obvious. You look like melting whenever you look at him. It's very easy to see. Anyway, I think that even though you have a crush on Harry, the one that you really, really like is Danny".

Bingo. He absolutely nailed it. Well, it probably doesn't take a genius to figure that out. But that doesn't mean that I have to agree with him at once.

"N-no. You're wrong!" I stuttered, blushing furiously.

"See? You're blushing Anthea. Come on, tell me the truth. You like Danny right?" he asked me, a serious tone layering his voice.

I pondered over it. I thought of Danny, and I suddenly felt an amazing sensation rush through my veins. My heart also started to pound so hard.

All of a sudden, I heard David Archuleta's voice singing from the speakers of the restaurant:

"Why do I keep running from the truth?  
All I ever think about is you.  
You've got me hypnotised, so mesmerized,  
And I've just got to know".

I was shocked. Whoa! It couldn't have come at a better time. I looked at Kyle, smiling. He looked back, smiling as well. Then we both laughed. It was just so funny!

"Hm… I think that was a sign", Kyle laughed.

I chuckled. "Okay. Okay. You're right Kyle. I am falling for Danny", I finally admitted.

He smiled, very happy. "That's much better. At least you've figured out your feelings".

Darn it. I can't believe he managed to convince me to spill everything to him. Oh well. I was happy though. At least I wasn't that confused anymore. Our little talk made me even more assured of how I felt for Danny.

After chatting a bit more for some time, Kyle and I headed home. We got a taxi, and split the payment between us.

I waved goodbye to Kyle once I got home. I feel so much better now.

At least now I know that I really like Danny.


	36. Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36 (LIGHTS OFF ON NEW YEAR)

"This place… Is seriously huge", I exclaimed as we went inside the Judd mansion.

"Yeah. It's as huge as ever", Evangeline added, smiling as she looked at the mansion that was already familiar to her. She's been here quite a couple of times.

Christmas was over. We all spent our Christmas in different countries. My family and I flew to Greece, where my mom came from. It was beautiful there. I was teary-eyed when we had to leave. Tom and his family went on a cruise ship (they used their very own ship) around the Mediterranean Sea; Danny went to Ireland with Pamela and Nicole, Evangeline went on a safari in Africa; Jessica went back to Japan, where her father worked; Harry spent his time in Canada, snowboarding the whole time; Jenny went to Thailand to visit her grandparents; and Dougie was at Australia with his family.

Now we're all back here at Harry's mansion.

The mansion was extremely huge. It was pretty much like Tom's mansion. I couldn't even spot the difference actually. There were leather sofas, aquariums containing rare species of marine life, a few sculptures and expensive-looking paintings on the wall.

I checked my watch, it was 8:30 pm. I was holding a plastic bag that contained a cute marine blue dress with a silver bow and a bauble skirt. I can't believe I'm wearing this tonight.

Still, it might be fun. I've waited so many years to wear a dress as fancy as this is.

Evangeline was already wearing her dress. It had straps and was a nice shade of maroon. There were a few intricate designs on it, making it stand out. She looked absolutely beautiful with her red hair flowing in wondrous curls.

I, on the other hand, still need to change.

Why were we here? Well, Harry's invited us and our families to celebrate New Year with them. It was a formal dinner, so we had to really dress up.

I arrived late because I forgot to do the groceries. Evangeline was kind enough to go with me, even when she was wearing her dress. I have to say, a lot of boys were looking at her when we were at the grocery store. She didn't care anyway. She never did seem to care much about boys anyway. But she smiled at me and said that she liked French guys though. I laughed. I never knew she had standards.

Now I was supposed to change.

"Evangeline, where can I change here?" I asked her since she was so familiar with the place.

"This door here. That's the bathroom. Just go in", Evangeline replied, pointing to a door on the right.

I thanked her and went inside the door. I switched on the lights. I gasped. The bathroom was huge. There were expensive-looking shampoos, soaps, and other toiletries lined on one shelf. The bath tub was huge too. A lot of hooks were on the wall and the mirror was humongous.

I started taking off my shirt and pants. I put on my clothes on the hooks.

I started to carefully put on the dress. I was finally done, and I zipped my dress up.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked… Nice actually. The dress really fit me and it matched my skin color. I got a brush from the plastic bag and began brushing my hair. I was finally satisfied after a few minutes, and I fixed my things. I went out.

Evangeline was waiting. She gasped when she saw me.

"Someone's looking really pretty tonight", she remarked.

I grinned. "Thanks a lot. I don't look bad or anything?"

"You look absolutely divine".

"Thanks Evangeline".

Suddenly, a few more people entered the mansion. I nearly forgot that Harry's parents invited other guests. I recognized one boy from my class: David Kirkby, he had blonde hair and really blue eyes. He was handsome, but he was a total snob. Just because he's rich it doesn't mean that he has the right to get all proud. The worst thing was, he was always bothering me and trying to get my attention. Jessica told me that he might have a crush on me.

Eeew… I wished not.

Anyway, Evangeline and I just ignored him and kept on walking. I decided to tell her the genetic code letter. I already phoned Jessica yesterday about it. She couldn't believe it too.

I told her every little detail. She was extremely impressed. In her opinion, it was a really ingenious way of expressing one's feelings.

"So it's D… A… Blank, blank, blank?" she said.

"Yup. I have no clue who it is", I nodded.

She chuckled, as if the answer was so easy to see. She poked me.

I laughed. "Hey! What was that for?"

She rolled her eyes. "Anthea, it's obvious that it's Danny".

Oh my gosh. Kyle said it, and now she's saying the exact same thing too?

"Nah. Quit joking me", I grinned.

"Anthea, I am telling the truth. He looks like he likes you, you know".

I turned pink. Well, I guess that was possible… but it just didn't seem so.

"Well… I won't believe it, but I can hope can't I?" I grinned. Yup. That was better. It was better to hope than to expect.

"Good".

We walked some more until we reached the garden.

The garden was absolutely beautiful. Lanterns hung on wires spread throughout the place. Tables with white cloths occupied the place. There was also a dancing platform in the middle with pillars around it. Flowers and vines gracefully lined the pillars. I saw my family on one table. I waved to them. My mom saw me and beckoned me to come.

"My dear, you look gorgeous!" she exclaimed excitedly as I rushed out to meet her.

"Aw… Thanks mom", I replied.

"Evangeline, you look stunning too", she said.

"Thank you", Evangeline smiled.

After chatting a bit, we proceeded to our table. Harry, Pamela, Danny, Tom, Jessica, Dougie and Tom were already seated there. There were still three vacant seats left. I wondered who the third seat could be for.

"Hello", I greeted them as we got closer.

Pamela squealed and ran towards me, nearly bumping into Nicole. Good thing Nicole managed to dodge her. She was always so hyper.

"Antheeeaa!!!" Pamela grinned, excited. "You look so pretty tonight!!"

I blushed. "Thanks Pamela".

"Evangeline, you look good too tonight!"

"Thanks", Evangeline replied.

"By the way Evangeline, I set you up on a date!"

Evangeline's eyes widened. "You did whaat???"

Pamela only giggled. "Don't worry. He's absolutely dreamy. I'm sure you'll like him."

Evangeline sighed but smiled. "Oh well. I'll take your word for it".

"Besides, everyone needs a date", Pamela added.

"A date? We actually need one?" I asked.

I wasn't informed that we needed a date. I don't have one.

"Well, you don't exactly need one. It's not mandatory you know. But there's going to be a dance number for couples. So it'd be better to go with someone you know than have a stranger ask you to dance. And the boys here are snobby. Rich. Pfft. It figures".

Oh okay. So that's why. Well, I don't have a date. Maybe I could ask Danny.

I looked at him. He was talking to Harry. He suddenly laughed and grinned. He looked so cute when he smiled.

I don't know why, but now I felt so shy to ask him. Hopefully, he'll ask me later.

We went to the table and took our seats. I sat next to Danny. He looked so handsome tonight.

"Hey Anthea. You look really pretty tonight you know", he grinned at me.

"Hi Danny. Thanks a lot!" I replied, smiling.

Well, the only reason why I really fixed up was because of him. My attention was turned to the vacant seat again.

"Danny, who's the vacant seat for?" I asked.

"Oh. My cousin's coming", he replied.

"Really? Cool".

Wow. Another cousin? I definitely want to meet her.

He laughed. "She should be here by now".

I scanned the place for girls that might be his cousin. One girl caught my eyes. She had long black hair reaching a few inches above her waist. She had green, almond-shaped eyes and full lips. She looked pretty. Was she Danny's cousin?

"Aloura!!" Danny waved towards the girl.

The girl turned to his direction and smiled. She proceeded towards us. Wow. Danny has really gorgeous cousins. Well, it figures. He was gorgeous too.

"Danny", Aloura said and hugged Danny as he rushed out to meet her.

"Hey Aloura!" Dougie, Harry and Tom said at the same time. Tom looked especially glad to see her.

She smiled. "Hey guys. I missed you!"

Pamela and Nicole rushed out to meet her too.

"Hey Aloura. Glad you could come!" Nicole smiled.

"I thought you couldn't come here", Pamela said.

"Oh I know! Things were crazy at Claire Marie. I nearly had no free time. Good thing things went smooth", she replied.

My ears perked up when I heard 'Claire Marie'. That was a really expensive school for girls. Wow. They are so rich.

"Aloura, this is Anthea by the way", Danny said as he introduced me to her.

Her eyes grew wide. "Woow! You're Anthea?? Glad to meet you! Danny talks about you all the time", she said to me in a friendly manner.

I blushed and chuckled. I never knew that Danny talked so much about me.

Danny turned red too. "Um… Well, not really".

Aloura laughed and winked at me. "Don't worry. He's probably just shy".

We chatted for some time as we sat down. I liked Aloura. She was really friendly and it was easy to interact with her.

She was actually half-Irish, half-Japanese. It was a wicked combination. She chatted with Jessica too. The two got along so well. They were already laughing so much.

Dougie's dad went to the platform and began to announce. Dougie told me that his dad was hosting the show. He looked a lot like Dougie, only older.

"Good evening everyone. Dinner will be served in a few minutes. We hope you're having a blast and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the latest wine in our industry. It will be served during dinner. Oh, and please be careful because its stain will last for about a month. Dougie, don't drink too much, okay?" he grinned.

Everyone laughed. Dougie only rolled his eyes and smiled.

Dinner was served. There was turkey, mashed potatoes, salad, roast beef, cured ham, guacamole and éclairs. Everything was so delicious. The wine that was served was great too. I felt a bit dizzy, but the taste was just so wonderful that I couldn't help but sip some more. Aloura and Tom looked cute when they began chatting together. They looked pretty close.

Dougie handed Jessica a small ball. She began playing with it. All of a sudden, the ball bounced out of her hands. It rolled away to some table. I laughed. Jessica looked so cute when she pouted.

"I'll help you", I said as I stood up.

"Thanks", she smiled.

We looked around the place for the ball. Finally, I found it near one table. My jaw dropped when I saw which table it was.

Oh no. Heck no. Not that table!! Of all the tables here, why there??

David Kirkby was sitting on the table with his snobby friends. And the ball was near to him. Great. It's just my luck.

I breathed in slowly. Okay. I can do this. I'll get the ball and leave quickly.

I approached the table, summoning all of my courage.

David turned around and grinned when he saw me. "Hey Anthea".

"Um… Hi. I'm just here to get that ball", I said, pointing to the ball. What's going to happen next?

He shrugged. "Sure. Just get it".

I could not believe this. Why did he turn nice?

I didn't mind though. This was great. I got the ball and walked away.

Yes!! Things were going so fine!!

"Wait!!" he suddenly said.

I froze. Oh man. And I thought things were going fine. I turned around and he was already in front of me, a huge smile on his face.

"Oh yeah. About the letter, you still remember that?" he asked.

What? What? What? He wrote the genetic code letter?? Maybe he overheard my conversation with Evangeline.

"Er… Yeah. I do", I replied.

"Well, I wrote it. You don't need to solve it anymore".

I felt like a rock dropped on my head. What? Him? Why him??

"Um… You sure David?" I asked.

He laughed and was about to kiss my cheek when I dodged. No way was I letting him do that!

"Um… Yeah. Of course. I like Biology you know, just as much as I like you", he replied, a sugary sweet tone to his voice.

Liar. You got an F for the subject!

He suddenly held my hand. What the heck?? This guy acts so fast!

All of a sudden, someone slapped his hand away and he finally let go. He winced.

I turned around to see Jessica with an outraged expression on her face. "Oops. Sorry. I saw a fly. I wouldn't want your skin to get bitten", she said sarcastically. She hated David too.

He glared at her. "What's your problem, huh? You're only a dumb blonde".

"Hey! Take that back!" I snapped back. I couldn't just let him be rude to Jessica.

He only chuckled, as if I didn't say anything. "Whatever. Anyway, I overheard you and Evangeline saying about your progress. It's D and A and three blanks right? Put in V, I and D, and what does it spell?"

Eew!! It can't be him! He was so pig-headed!

"It spells pig-headed, stuck-up, wannabe", Jessica replied in her most sarcastic tone ever. I looked at her. I'm glad she's with me to help me. I could count on her always.

"Blonde, yes, you. You dumb blonde. Mind your own business, will you?" he snapped and pushed her hard.

That's it!! He was going so overboard!!

All of a sudden, someone from the back poured wine all over him. Jessica and I gasped. Oh. My. Gosh.

We saw who did it: it was Pamela. She had a huge smile on her face as she held her glass in her hands. Nicole was behind her, an equally huge smile on her face.

"Oops. Sorry. I am so, so clumsy!" she faked an apology.

David glared at her. "What the heck do you think you're doing?? This is a very expensive suit!!!"

"Oh. Sorry. Did you hear that Nicole? It's a very expensive suit", Pamela said.

Nicole went near and looked at the suit. David was absolutely soaked. Suddenly, she poured wine on him too. This time, it was on the front of the suit.

David looked even more outraged. He looked like a steamed fish.

Nicole smiled. "Oops. My hand slipped".

David groaned loudly and stormed off.

Nicole and Pamela laughed and gave each other a high five. "Loser!!" they said at the same time.

"My gosh, you two were amazing!" Jessica exclaimed.

"You two sure have got guts. Thanks for sticking up for us", I thanked them. Seriously, I really was grateful. I was grateful to have these girls behind my back.

"Thanks! He was rude anyway. We knew something was up. Nicole planned everything", Pamela grinned.

Wow. Nicole planned this?

"Well, it was fun anyway. The wine won't come off for a month", Nicole grinned. We laughed. Nicole really was an evil genius.

We went back to the table and took our seats. A few minutes passed by.

"Couples, time to dance!" Dougie's dad suddenly said. And the band began playing waltz music.

Cool. That was nice. Too bad I don't have a partner.

Dougie took Jessica with him; Harry had Pamela; Nicole had a cute stranger for a partner; Aloura and Tom went together; Evangeline had a handsome French guy named Thomas as his partner. She looked ecstatic and thanked Pamela over and over again. I didn't have a partner. I looked at Danny. He didn't seem to have a partner too. I was about to ask him when a boy with jet-black hair and green eyes approached me. He looked very handsome and he had a charming smile.

"Excuse me miss, care to dance?" he smiled as he held out his hand.

"I'm sorry, but she's with me", Danny interrupted as he approached us. He was smiling. He placed his arm over my shoulder. "She's my date".

The stranger only smiled. Aw… he was so polite. "Oh. My apologies".

He walked away. I turned to Danny. My heart was sprinting once again.

"Danny? You don't mind dancing with me?" I asked him. I wasn't such a very good dancer.

He smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way you know. You're the one that I want".

I felt like melting when he said that. He was so sweet!

We proceeded to the dance floor. He placed his hand on my waist and he took my hand. We began dancing around the floor. Luckily, he was a great dancer. He guided me throughout the whole dance.

Everyone was having fun. They all had smiles on their face.

All of a sudden, the lights went out. Everyone gasped.

"A fuse went out! Don't worry everyone", Dougie's dad boomed.

Fear flooded through me once more. I gasped and hugged Danny. I was so scared now.

He held me gently. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared of the dark", I replied. I really was. I hated being in dark places.

"More than spiders?"

I nodded and hugged him more tightly. "Yes. At least with spiders, I know what's going to hurt me. In the dark, I don't know what's out there to get me".

This was how I always felt about the dark. I'm scared because I don't know what's out there. I can't see just how bad those things were.

"Anthea… you don't need to worry. I'm here. Didn't I promise that I'd keep you safe? Nothing will happen to you. I swear", Danny whispered as he held me tightly. I began to relax now. I'm glad I'm with him. I felt safe now.

He let go of me slowly and looked at me for a while. The moonlight shone on my face a bit.

"You look so pretty…" he smiled.

Suddenly, his head moved closer to mine. Was he about to do what I think he's about to do?

He was now inches away from my face. I could feel my heart pumping so hard now. I closed my eyes.

His lips slowly pressed against mine. He kissed me gently and softly. I kissed him back. It was a magical moment. I felt like being in a dream.

He began to stroke my hair as he kissed me. I didn't want this to end. I never did feel this way.

Finally, he broke off our kiss. And just in time too. The lights went back a few minutes after our kiss.

Everything was bright now.

I looked at him and my eyes widened as I fully realized what we just did. Oh my gosh! I cannot believe we actually kissed!!

He looked at me, turning red. He looked pretty embarrassed. "I'm… I'm sorry. I… I got carried away".

I nodded, turning red too. "Um… It's okay. Let's just pretend it never happened".

He finally grinned at me. I grinned back. I didn't mind the kiss though. He was really great. But maybe we did just get carried away. It didn't mean anything, right? Besides, we weren't even a couple yet.

"Okay. Now that the lights are back on, New Year is only a minute away! Let's start the countdown", Dougie's dad announced over the microphone. Everyone clapped their hands and began to count from sixty.

"Oh. Before I forget. This is for you", Danny said and pulled out a silver bracelet with a panda as a charm. It looked very pretty. He slipped it on my right hand. It looked absolutely adorable.

"Danny! Oh my gosh! This is so lovely! Thank you!" I exclaimed excitedly. I loved it!

"Aw… No problem. I saw this at a shop yesterday. Then I remembered that you liked pandas. So I bought it for you".

Wow. That was really thoughtful, and there wasn't even an occasion.

"Thank you Danny, really".

I looked at him, light dancing in my eyes. I really fell hard for him. He was just here, all along. I was just too blind to see. A few weeks ago, he just seemed like a really good friend to me. Now, he's become the guy of my dreams. I can't believe I couldn't see this before. He was my real Prince.

"Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one! Happy New Year!!" everyone chanted and fireworks shot towards the sky. The fireworks were amazing as they set the sky afire with wonderful colors. The colors even seemed to dance in the sky.

"Happy New Year Anthea", Danny grinned.

"Happy New Year Danny", I replied.

We all watched the sky as it was painted with different colors. Danny was holding my hand as I placed my head on his shoulder. It was beautiful, just like this moment.


	37. Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37 (A CONFESSION I SHOULD HAVE MADE A LONG TIME AGO)

The cool breeze whipped past my cheek. I sneezed a bit and rubbed my nose. It was kind of cold today, but it wasn't icy cold. Yesterday was even colder.

I sat on the bench, looking at my brother Kristoph as he collected strawberries from the patches around the farm. Jenna, Harry's little cousin, appeared too, holding a basket full of strawberries. I smiled. Aw… they looked so cute together.

"You want a berry?" Harry offered, giving one to me.

I nodded, smiling. "Thanks". I took it and ate it. Hm… very delicious.

Harry and I decided to take the kids here. Kristoph was really begging me to take him here. It was lucky that Harry chatted with me on the internet a few days ago. He chatted about how his cousin Janice wanted to go to the strawberry farm around here. I mentioned about Kristoph, and we decided to go to the farm together.

So here we were, at the farm.

"Why don't we pick some berries?" Harry said excitedly.

I agreed at once. "Good idea Harry".

We went around the bushes, picking berries. The berries looked absolutely heavenly and appealing. It really made you want to eat them. I carefully plucked a few. Harry looked excited as he plucked a few.

He still looked gorgeous to me. I smiled. Well, at least I don't feel so embarrassed now when I'm around him. I felt pretty comfortable around him now.

Before, I used to reject the idea of having him as an older brother. But now, it sounds really nice. And he would make a good older brother I guess.

We finally finished plucking quite a few juicy and plump strawberries. We began eating them as we sat down on a bench. Jenna and Kristoph were still picking too, but I couldn't see them anywhere. Oh well, let them be.

"Hey, you've got a stain there", Harry chuckled as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped some stain from my mouth.

I grinned. "Thanks Harry".

I began to think of something. What if I told Harry about how I felt about him before? I mean, it's been quite a long time, and I wanted him to know.

"Harry, can I tell you something?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Sure Anthea. You know you can tell me anything".

I gave out a huge sigh. "Um… Ha-Harry… I… I…", I stuttered.

Jeez! I thought I was already comfortable around him??

He only laughed. "Spit it out Anthea. Come on".

"Okay. Fine. Here goes. I had a crush on you before you know".

Harry blinked. "Really?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Really. Harry, you are so gorgeous, can you blame me? I had a really, really, really huge crush on you before. I like, even daydream about you".

Harry laughed and grinned. He was taking all of this quite well actually. "Really? I never knew. Well, that was shocking".

I laughed. "But you know what; I think I've fallen for Danny now".

Harry smiled even more. "Ah… I see. Danny is a pretty great guy you know. He's very sweet and just so caring, even if he does act like a goof."

I agreed, grinning. "I know. But you know, I can believe that he's so sincere and sweet. And I always feel safe around him. That's why I couldn't help but fall in love with him".

Harry paused for a bit, and then he smiled. "You know, he seems to be really happy when he's around you. And he's always concerned about you. I think he'd go nuts if anything happened to you. I'm glad you manage to brighten him up. He was depressed before you came".

I looked at Harry, a puzzled expression on my face. Danny? Depressed? I couldn't imagine that. He was always so happy.

"Danny? Depressed?" I asked.

Harry nodded. "Yup. You see, he had this girlfriend before. He really liked the girl. But then, the girl suddenly broke up with him because she liked another guy. So yeah, she was actually just playing him. He was heartbroken after that. The girl's moved now though. Good thing too".

I frowned. I never knew he went through something as awful as that. Aw… Danny…

"But then you showed up. And he became really happy. Tom, Dougie and I noticed that. And we were grateful that you did come along. That's why we all care about you", Harry said with a wide smile on his face.

I smiled too. I never knew that I actually brightened up Danny's life. I was happy that I managed to make him smile and look so happy. The bright expression on his face was the one thing that I always wanted to see.

The girl was completely stupid to do something like that. She already had Danny for Pete's sake.

"Well, she's a bloody idiot. If you ask me", I remarked.

"Yeah. I know. Dougie, Tom and I managed to get revenge on her though", Harry replied.

"Oh? How did you do that?"

"Easy. We got to school early and placed a toad inside her desk. She totally freaked out when she opened her desk".

I laughed. Now this was pure evil.

"Oh? So things went smoothly?" I asked him.

"Yeah. We never got caught. She reported the incident to the principal. The principal didn't care. He despised her anyway. He told her to stop crying like a wimp and just go back to the classroom", Harry grinned.

I chuckled. Wow. They were really tight. They really looked out for each other.

"So, are you gonna tell Danny anytime soon about how you feel about him?" he asked me, smiling widely.

I blushed. "Um… about that… I'm… er… how do I put this?" I began to say nervously.

Harry laughed. "Really, you're still shy towards Danny after all this time?"

"Um… I guess so. I'm just afraid that I'll do something stupid or mess things up".

Harry placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Sometimes you just have to try. There's no harm in trying. You'll miss out on a lot of things if you're scared".

That made me feel much better. Harry was right. Nothing will happen to me if I don't try.

Okay. I'm going to tell Danny as soon as possible. Wow. I'm glad I talked to Harry.

"Jeez. I sound like a fortune cookie", Harry remarked.

I chuckled. "Nah. It's okay. I'm enlightened".

I'm glad that I bumped into Harry today. At least I knew what to do now.

Even if Danny pushes me away, at least I tried telling him. That's way better than not doing anything at all.

Suddenly, a strawberry hit the back of my head.

"Ow!" I exclaimed and rubbed the back of my head.

Harry laughed. He was so evil. "Ooh. That's gonna leave a mark".

Then, another strawberry hit the back of Harry's head. Wow. Karma was fast.

"Ouch!" he yelped, also rubbing the back of his head.

We both turned our heads and saw Jenna and Kristoph snickering while hiding behind the bushes.

Harry and I nodded to each other. Payback time.

We carefully crept around them. Jenna screamed all of a sudden.

"Run Kristoph!" she squealed.

The two ran quickly, throwing berries at Harry and I as they sprinted.

Harry and I ran after them. This was fun, even if we were already teenagers.

Suddenly, Kristoph hurled a strawberry straight at Harry's eye.

Harry immediately stopped running and began placing his hand on his hurt eye. I stopped running and gasped. Harry began to squat, still tending to the wound of his hurt eye.

I bent down, checking if he was okay. "Harry, you okay?"

He removed his hand from his eye. His eye was a little red, but he looked okay.

He finally got up, rubbed his eye, and grinned.

"Nah. I'm okay. It's just a little strawberry anyway", he replied.

I laughed. Aw… Harry was so cute. He looked absolutely adorable.

"You sure?" I asked him.

"I'm positive".

Kristoph and Jenna finally emerged from the bushes. Kristoph suddenly ran to Harry and hugged him.

"I'm sorry Harry", he apologized.

Harry only patted his head and smiled. "It's okay Kristoph. I know you didn't mean to".

Kristoph began to smile. Aw… Harry was so understanding.

"Well, I guess it's time we left the farm", I suggested after taking a glance at my watch. They needed their nap after all.

Harry nodded and began carrying Jenna on his back. Jenna seemed sleepy. Finally, she yawned and began to doze off.

It was sweet of Harry to carry Jenna on her back as we walked home. He really was like a big brother.

I looked at Kristoph as he held my hand. Being an older sister wasn't so bad after all.

Harry's cell phone suddenly rang as we passed by a few houses. We were only a few blocks away from my house.

"Hey Danny, how'd the competition go?" Harry answered on his cell phone.

Oh. I nearly forgot. Danny had a competition in Chemistry today. He was at some town. He really was amazing.

I listened intently, I was wondering what happened too.

"What? What? I can't understand you. Huh? You're being attacked?" Harry asked in a confused tone.

I had a puzzled expression on my face too. What? Danny's being attacked?

"Huh? What's a 'lora'?" Harry asked.

I continued to listen. Oh my gosh. What's happening to Danny?

"Oh. You mean you're being… What? Attacked by a girl… her name's Laura?" Harry asked.

I started getting worried. Was Danny hurt?

Suddenly, an ear-splitting scream came from the phone.

"DAAAANNNNNNYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!" a girl's voice screamed.

Harry flinched. He nearly dropped his phone. Jenna woke up but dozed off later on. Man that scream was so loud.

I covered my ears with my hands. What the heck was that? It was worse than the sound of nails scratching on a chalkboard.

Harry placed his phone back in his pocket after pressing it against his right ear.

"The line went dead. Sheesh. What was that scream about?" Harry muttered.

Oh no. Did something happen to Danny?? I hope not.

"Harry, did anything… um… bad happen to Danny?" I asked him, concerned.

"I don't know. He said that he was being attacked", Harry replied.

"What? Attacked by what?" I asked him.

"I don't know. A girl named Laura. He was scared out of his wits".

I fell silent. What? A girl was attacking Danny?

"Really?" I asked again.

"Yup. Oh well. He gets that all the time. Some girls really chase him. I sort of pity the guy sometimes. Don't worry Anthea. I'll make sure this girl doesn't get too cozy with Danny".

I nodded. I still felt like something bad was about to happen, like a hurricane was about to wipe out the whole town.

Harry and I finally arrived at my home. I waved Harry goodbye and thanked him for bringing me home.

That night though, I couldn't help but feel that something bad would happen. I couldn't sleep well because I just couldn't shrug off that feeling.


	38. Chapter 38

CHAPTER 38 (LAURA)

"Guys, do you think something's up with Danny?" Tom asked as Dougie, Jessica, Harry and I sat under a tree. A few leaves were falling down in gentle movements.

Surprisingly, we all arrived pretty early. We decided to chat under the tree while waiting for the school bell to ring. There was still a lot of time left. We were even probably the only people here.

"You know, I've been wondering about the same thing. He called me yesterday. He said he was being attacked by a… er… what was it again?" Dougie asked.

"A girl named Laura. He seemed scared you know", Harry finished Dougie's sentence.

I was pretty concerned about Danny. He did seem very scared. I wonder why this 'Laura' girl bothered him so much.

I opened my bag again. There was a small pile of cookies carefully wrapped in plastic with a ribbon tied to it.

I woke up extra early to make these. Danny still had his competition in Chemistry today. I thought that it would be nice to give him something that calm his nerves

And that 'Laura' girl. Just who the heck was she?

"Oh. Speaking of the devil. Here's Danny", Jessica said.

We all turned our heads to the gates. Danny was already entering the gates. He was wearing a green shirt and pants. He was holding s few sheets of paper in his hand and he seemed like he was reciting their contents.

I could feel my heart pounding. I was waiting for this moment to come. I really missed him.

He looked pretty stressed today though. Well, I can't blame him. He's probably going through a lot today. I'd probably look worse if I was in his condition.

He looked up from his papers and grinned when he saw me. It's like all his weariness immediately faded away. Now this was the Danny I grew fond of, and eventually fell for. Funny, lively and happy-go-lucky.

Tom waved to him and grinned. "Hey Danny! You okay dude?"

Danny finally reached our spot. He sat down and sighed, dropping his papers gently on the ground. He also placed his bag on the grass and sat down.

He gave out a huge sigh. "I am NOT okay. I just met the devil himself yesterday".

"Whoa. Tell us what happened then", Dougie said.

"Well, the Chemistry competition went on as always. I managed to qualify for the finals which will take place here later. Then this… whacky girl from the competition too just hugs me after we were done with the last round. It was bloody embarrassing", Danny complained.

"Oh? Did she know you or something?" Harry asked.

"Heck no. I've never seen the freak before in my entire life. I felt like melting to the ground. Everyone thought she was my girlfriend for Pete's sake!" Danny fumed.

Wow… Danny was really pissed off.

"Whoa man. Calm down. You really seem ticked off", Dougie said, trying to calm Danny down.

Danny sighed and began to smile a bit. "Sorry. I'm just worried… you know… about the girl I like. She… er… might get the wrong impression. I don't ever want that to happen".

Tom smiled. "She's that special to you, huh?"

Danny nodded. "Of course. I'd do anything for her… and that means I have to get rid of that she-witch Laura. Ugh… I'll see her at the competition again later. That hag qualified too. Jeez. It's hell all over again…"

I heard Jessica hum the All-American Rejects song 'Gives You Hell'. I grinned at her, holding my laughter. She winked at me.

Hm… it did fit. 'When you see my face hope it gives you hell. Gives you hell".

To be honest, I kind of felt jealous when Danny started talking about the girl he liked. He sincerely liked her. Okay, so there was a chance that I was that girl. But if I wasn't… well. I'll just have to accept that.

Then again, when I think about the kiss that we shared during New Year's, maybe he really did like me…

Uugh. Never mind. Maybe I was hoping too much.

Then again, it's never a bad thing to be an optimist or a dreamer.

I looked at Danny again. Aw… he really seemed stressed. Maybe I should brighten him up a bit.

"Um… don't worry Danny. Never mind that girl. You should be focusing on your Chemistry competition now. Pretend that the girl never existed", I said, grinning.

He suddenly blushed and smiled, picking up his papers from the grassy ground. "Aw… thanks. Yup. You're right".

The school bell suddenly rang. It was still the first one. It meant that only about ten minutes 'till class time.

We all picked up our bags and walked to the classrooms. Danny was going to another room for the competition, so he wasn't tagging along.

I guess I have no seatmate for today.

As we neared the school building, I rummaged through my bag for the cookies. I nearly forgot about those. I finally managed to get the small pack of cookies.

It's a humble gift, but I hope that it could make his day a little brighter.

"Um… Danny… I have a little something for you. It's to wish you luck", I said, smiling as I handed him the small pack of cookies.

Danny turned red and smiled. He gratefully took the pack of cookies. "Aw… thanks. Really. I feel so much better now".

I smiled. I'm glad that I made him feel better.

"You know, I missed you", Danny smiled.

I blushed; my heart was really beating now. "Thanks Danny. I missed you too".

Oh my gosh. This definitely made my day. I felt like fainting. I was so happy. Nothing bad's going to come my way.

We finally reached the hallway. It was time for us to say goodbye. I wasn't having him as my seatmate for today.

Oh well. I'll have to manage. I just hope that David Kirkby won't sit next to me.

"Well, bye Danny. Good luck. Break a leg!" I cheered enthusiastically.

I should be cheerful. That way, Danny won't be nervous. I should pass on my energy to him. He could definitely win this contest.

Danny smiled. Aw… he looked so cute.

All of a sudden, he gave a small, gentle kiss on my cheek.

I turned pink. Oh my gosh. Why did he have to do that? Now I'll probably daydream throughout the whole morning.

"Thanks for the cookies by the way. It's really helped me. See you soon", he grinned and walked away.

I turned my back, heading towards the classrooms. A wide smile was plastered on my face. Today was going to be a good day. I don't know why I felt so troubled last night.

Unfortunately, I was totally wrong.

I focused on our lesson in Chemistry. My eyes never left the chalkboard. It felt kind of lonely when Danny wasn't here.

Still, I'm glad that he's entering the competition. It just shows that he's really good.

Suddenly, Danny's desk began to move. I turned my head towards it. Why was it moving?

I was horrified to see who was sitting in Danny's desk.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Tell me I'm dreaming. Please.

Please tell me that I'm just imagining that David Kirkby's sitting next to me!!!

Much to my dismay, it was no dream or figment of my imagination.

He was smiling widely at me. "Hey Anthea. Danny's not here, eh?"

I seriously wanted to say something awful, but I didn't want to be rude.

"Um… hi. Yup… Danny's not here… unfortunately", I said quietly and paid attention to the lesson instead. The lesson was more worthy of my time.

Suddenly, someone's hand began holding my left hand that rested on my desk.

My body had goose bumps all over, and I meant that in a bad way.

I turned, frowning. I saw that it was David. He was seriously irking me. No. Irk seemed like a light term. He was pissing me off now. What the heck was wrong with this nut job anyway?

"Um… please keep your hands to yourself if you don't mind", I said coldly. He was getting on my nerves.

"Aw come on. I know you like it if I do that", he grinned.

"Ugh! As if!! I'd rather kiss a warty toad!" I hissed back.

Honestly, this boy was downright rude.

He suddenly reached for my hair, hoping to stroke it; but I quickly swatted his hand away. That's it!

I rose up from my desk, went to the front and sat on the floor. I was definitely staying here.

Our teacher looked at me and asked "Anthea? Is there something wrong?"

"Yes. Apparently, I can't see very well. Can I sit here for the moment?" I replied.

"Oh. Sure. As long as you don't mind the floor".

Oh. I didn't mind. I'm much happier here anyway. There was no David Kirkby here to bother me.

I sat in front for the whole morning. I gave the same excuse for each teacher: bad eyesight. Despite my butt hurting, I didn't mind. My morning went much better.

"Hm… Danny should be done by now. I wonder where Jessica is though", I muttered to myself.

It was already lunchtime. I was holding a tray and getting ready to choose from the food displayed. Jessica wandered off somewhere. I could manage on my own anyway.

I looked through the glass. I guess I'll have pizza and broccoli today.

Suddenly, an all-too familiar and annoying voice spoke behind me:

"You know, you can have lunch with me", David offered.

That was the final straw!! No way was I going near him!!!

"David, I want to be alone, okay? So leave me ALONE", I replied.

"Oh come on. Stop avoiding me. I know you like me. Don't feel so embarrassed".

"Shut up David! I've had it! Go away you jerk!"

He suddenly held my arm so I couldn't walk away. Ugh! I hate him!!

"Let go!!" I yelled. He wouldn't let go of me.

Suddenly, a hand tapped David on the shoulder. He turned around and…

BAM!!!!

He got punched in the face. He let go, finally. I turned to see who saved me.

I gasped. Oh my gosh! Danny was the one who punched him!

Danny was really, really angry now. He looked like he could explode. David was cowering already as he leaned against a wall.

"Stay away from her, you hear me? Don't you even dare touch her", Danny growled.

David glared at him and walked away hurriedly. For a while, everyone was looking at us, but then they went back to eating lunch as if nothing happened.

Danny rolled his eyes and sighed. "Hey, you okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks Danny. I was getting really annoyed by him".

"No problem. He's a total jerk anyway. I can't believe he bothered you that much during Chemistry class. And the idiot even sat on my seat".

"Wait. How did you know that?"

"Jessica… er… showed me a video. She ran to me at once and told me what happened to you. She used her phone for the videotaping."

"Whoa. Aw… she couldn't interfere because she was really at the back".

I laughed. Jessica was simply too much.

I suddenly noticed something gold and shiny pinned to Danny's shirt. I finally realized that it was a medal. I read what was written on it:

"1st Place"

"Oh my gosh Danny!! You won first place??" I exclaimed.

Danny grinned. "Yeah. I can't believe it either".

"That's so great Danny!"

I hugged Danny. He chuckled and hugged me back. This was so great! He really was wonderful.

My heart was back to its abnormal pace as I replayed Danny punching David in my mind. He really defended me. It made me fall in love with him even more.

"Hey YOU!! Get off my DAANNYY!!" a screechy voice suddenly yelled.

I let go of Danny and tried to search for the source of the noise.

My eyes finally found the source. There was a girl who had strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, and she was wearing a pink shirt and pants.

She was wearing an enraged expression on her face. She was walking towards us in furious strides. She reminded me of a bull.

"Danny? Do you know her?' I asked Danny.

Danny had a look of horror on his face. "Oh no. why the heck did she have to come? Oh no. Oh no. Why can't she stay away?"

Oh. So this was the Laura that Danny had been so scared of. I don't blame him. She did look scary.

She was fuming when she finally arrived in front of us. She glared at me, never taking her eyes off me.

"Danny, just who is this girl?!?" she demanded.

I was starting to get scared. What the heck is she doing?

"None of your business Laura. You don't need to know. Go away", Danny replied coldly.

The girl only giggled and pinched Danny's right cheek. "Aw Danny!! You're cute when you're angry! Tee-hee!"

Danny gently slapped her hand away. She pouted.

She turned back to me and began to glare again. "And just who the heck are you?"

Okay. Can she be any ruder?

Nevertheless, I decided to reply in a polite tone. I wouldn't want to start a fight.

"I'm Anthea", I replied, smiling even though I feel absolutely irritated now. Control yourself… resist the urge to lunge for her throat…

"Danny, what's her relation to you?" Laura asked.

Danny groaned. He was probably getting tired of this pesky interrogation. "Get away Laura. Please. I'm begging you".

"No. I need an answer", she replied stubbornly.

"I don't want to see you.."

"Aw Danny. Why?"

Danny's answer completely shocked me.

"Because you're ugly", he replied blatantly.

Laura began to pout. "Come on Danny. You can't escape my question sweetie. Answer me darling".

This really pissed me off! How dare she call Danny darling and sweetie! It drove me mad. I was an inch close to slapping her!

"Laura!' a booming voice called.

Laura twirled around. "Tsk. Tsk. It's my teacher. Oh well. Goodbye Danny darling!" She blew a kiss to Danny.

Danny rolled his eyes.

Laura finally disappeared as she was escorted by a stern-looking woman.

Thank God she was gone.

Danny and I decided to get some pizza and sit on our usual spot. The rest of the guys weren't here though. They must be busy.

"Danny, she's out of her mind", I told him.

"Yup. She has issues", Danny agreed.

"I know. Seriously".

"By the way, I am NEVER letting you near David Kirkby. He seriously pisses me off".

"Ugh. As if I'd let myself wander anywhere near him".

"I swear, David's a total idiot. Anyway, I'm back now".

I felt like the sun began to shine on me. Thank God Danny's back.

"That's great! At least I'll feel safer", I replied brightly.

"Yup. I promised to keep you safe right? I can't be absent from my duty", he grinned.

My heart pounded again. gosh why did he have to be so sweet? I think I'm about to go crazy over him.

"Well, let's get going to class then?" Danny asked as he stood up.

I smiled. "Sure Danny".

We walked to class together. Things were definitely going to get better now. David was too scared to come near us. Danny kept on glaring at him.

Well, I guess I have a little competition now.

No worries, I'll definitely beat her. I'm not going down without a fight.


	39. Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39 (A SECRET AND A NOTE)

I was sitting on the bench as Harry opened his locker. I looked at my surroundings, still a little bit unsure if I really was here. Maybe I was just dreaming.

"Harry, you sure I'm allowed here?" I asked him.

"Oh. Does it bother you? You can always go you know", Harry replied as he shut his locker.

"Oh. I don't mind, really. It's just that… it's my first time here".

"Nah. Girls really are allowed here in the boy's locker room. They just don't usually go in".

"Ah. I see".

I was surprised when Harry ran to me just as I was about to go to the library. He asked me to come with him to get something from his locker. I agreed, knowing that he easily gets scared when he's all alone.

I don't mind anyway. I'm never here. The school that I used to go to was very conservative, so boys and girls were always separated. We couldn't enter boy territory. The only places we were with boys were at the classroom, lunch table, and gym. So I always thought that boys and girls should be separated at all times.

Well, I'm proven wrong now. Here I was, sitting on a bench while waiting for Harry to finish fixing his bag.

He was actually fussy with his stuff. I never knew he was this peculiar about his things. He'd rearrange his books from time to time and constantly throw a few pieces of crumpled pieces of paper from his bag.

I grinned. "That's um… a lot of papers".

Harry grinned back as well. "Those are my doodles. I get bored sometimes during class. Some of them aren't so good though. So I might as well throw some away. Darn it… where is it?"

Harry was still searching for something in his bag. He really looked determined to find it.

"Harry, what're you looking for?" I asked him. I was really curious about what he was looking for.

"Oh. A very important note. Darn it. I can't find it", he sighed. He suddenly threw another crumpled piece of paper. It landed at my feet.

Hm… it must be one of Harry's doodles. Maybe I could go and have a look.

"Harry, can I look at this?" I asked him, holding up the piece of paper.

He nodded. "Sure, sure. I bet it's nothing important anyway. Oh… I still can't find it".

I smiled. I sort of pitied him. He really needed to find that important note of his. I wonder why it was so important though.

I slowly opened the piece of paper. I smoothened out the crumpled parts.

I received a shock though.

Instead of a drawing, letters were written on the scrap of paper.

I started reading the words very carefully.

I gasped.

Oh my. Maybe this is what Harry's been looking for! No wonder he desperately needed to find it!

"Um… Harry", I said.

"Hm? What is it Anthea?" he asked.

"I… uh… I think I've found what you're looking for".

"Huh? For real?"

He quickly approached me.

"I'm sorry for looking at it though. I thought it was one of your doodles", I apologized.

"It's okay. Can I see the piece of paper?"

I handed him the piece of paper. He thanked me after receiving it. He began reading the piece of paper.

His eyes widened.

"Oh! This IS what I've been looking for!" he exclaimed.

He looked at me and began to turn very red.

"Okay. Fine. Laugh all you want", he said.

I laughed a bit. He was being so silly. "Harry, it's okay. I understand. I'm not gonna make fun of you".

Harry held my hands like he was pleading. He looked into my eyes for a few seconds.

"Anthea… I'm gonna ask you a favour", he said.

"Er… sure Harry", I replied, still grinning a bit.

"Um… please don't tell her yet? Or anyone else? I'll tell her someday… just not now", he pleaded.

"Aw Harry. Of course I won't rat you out. I promise not to tell, okay?"

"You mean that?"

"I most certainly do".

"Okay. Hold up your right hand the way people do when they pledge".

"Haha. Harry, is this really necessary? I usually keep my promises you know".

"Please just do it. I'm serious about the matter".

"Fine".

I gave in and did as he told me, holding up my right hand.

"Repeat after me, okay?" he instructed.

I nodded. "Fire away".

"I, insert your name".

"I, Anthea Stewart".

"Do hereby pledge".

"Do hereby pledge".

"To never ever tell anyone about the note for as long as I live".

"To never ever tell anyone about the note for as long as I live".

"If I do, I'll dunk my head in the toilet, run around in the mall wearing a rabbit costume, drink ten bottles of tomato juice and buy Louis Vuitton bags for all of my classmates".

"I'll what?!"

"Just repeat".

"You went too fast! I couldn't catch up!"

"Fine. Just say you'll eat a live spider if you tell".

"Urrgh! That's gross!"

He chuckled. "Exactly. Now repeat".

"Haha. Oh Harry. Okay. I'm repeating. Er… I'll eat a live spider if I do tell".

I lowered my hand. Harry applauded.

"Nice work", he grinned.

I chuckled. "Really, that wasn't necessary… aw Harry! Why didn't you tell me you liked her? It's absolutely sweet you know!"

Harry blushed. "Um… well… I'm shy towards her".

"Harry, you shouldn't be shy you know. Besides, she's a wonderful person".

"I know. That's why I've had a crush on her for nearly a year now. I know she's all perky, but she's actually very mature and serious".

"Really? I can't imagine her being serious. She's always so perky and hyper".

"Last year, I saw her at the auditorium of this school. She flew in here because she had a contest in extemporaneous speaking. I fell in love with her when she answered the question. She just seemed so intelligent and really matured. She totally wowed the audience. Heck, she even won first place".

"Oh my gosh! For real? That's something that I never expected".

"Well, she is like that: gentle and intelligent girl. Not to mention extremely cute".

"Yeah. She is. Harry, that note you wrote, it's really touching you know".

"Really? Thanks! It's not yet finished though".

"Finish it. It's very moving".

"Thanks. I will. Then I'm going to give it to her".

"Can I see the note again?"

"Sure".

Harry handed the letter back to me. I read what it said:

"Dear Pamela,

I'd like to tell you how I really feel about you. The truth is, I've fallen in love with you. Behind that perky and child-like personality of yours is actually a mature, sensitive and gentle girl who can really make it big in the future. I may not be perfect, but I hope you can accept me with all my flaws. I'll do my best to be a few closer to the type of guy you like. I'll do these for you".

Aw… it's absolutely heart-warming. Who knew Harry actually fell for Pamela? It's totally sweet.

"Aw Harry. It's nice. Oh. Where are the twins by the way?" I asked. I was wondering about that. Maybe they went back to Ireland.

"Oh. They stayed here. I think they're staying for good", Harry replied.

"Really? That's great! Why though?"

"Their dad just opened another branch of his company here. So they decided to move".

"Aw… that's great! Now you can be even closer to her. I'm happy for you Harry".

He chuckled. "Thanks. I hope she'll like the note though".

"Don't worry. She won't just like it, she'll love it".

"Aw… thanks for being so supportive".

"It's no problem".

Harry grinned. He seemed so much happier now.

We were about to leave when one locker began to open, making a creaking noise.

Harry and I turned around. We were about to close it when we saw what was written on it.

I felt like my jaw dropped to the floor.

Oh. My. Gosh.

There it was, written clearly on the locker in black ink.

The locker was filled. It repeated the same, shocking message:

I Love Anthea. I Love Anthea. I Love Anthea. I Love Anthea. I Love Anthea. I Love Anthea.

"Whoa. Someone's obsessed about you", Harry remarked.

I was still too shocked for words. Who would do this? Was it all just a dream?

"Harry… am I dreaming?" I asked.

"Er no… here, let me pinch you", he replied and pinched my left arm.

"Ouch. Okay. I'm definitely not dreaming".

"Don't worry. I'd feel the exact same way if someone did that".

"Still! I can't believe this!"

I blushed furiously. This is the first time that anything like this has happened to me. I was always a boy-repellent. No boy ever went near me before.

And now I'm getting this?

"Wait. Whose locker is this?" I asked Harry.

He went near the locker and examined it.

"No one, I guess. They usually place a sticker to show that it's occupied. No one's using this", he replied.

Okay. So I don't have a clue at all about this message. I'm awfully curious though.

Who would do this?

"Aw… don't let it bother you too much. At least someone admires you", Harry smiled.

Oh well. I suppose I'll have to let it go this time. "I'm gonna find out someday though".

"I'll help you. I'm a sleuth you know".

I laughed. "Yeah right Harry".

We walked home. It was about to get late anyway, so we decided to finally go home.

I thanked Harry as he left. He winked at me and told me to keep mum about Pamela for a while. I nodded.

I lay down on my bed, thinking who could've written the message on the locker.

I started to giggle when I imagined that it was Danny. That would be totally sweet.


	40. Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40 (THE CARNIVAL)

"Ooh Harry!! Hit it! Hit it!" Pamela squealed excitedly.

"Don't worry. I'll hit it", Harry replied confidently.

He hurled the ball at the bottles that were piled on top of each other. The bottles all fell down. Not a single one was well.

As expected, Harry did it perfectly.

Pamela clapped her hands. "Oh my gosh! You did it Harry!" She hugged Harry tightly, getting all hyper once more.

Harry hugged her back. I could see that he was blushing furiously. I looked at them while licking my ice cream cone. I winked at Harry. He winked back at me.

Boy was he lucky.

"So, what prize do you want?" a guy with braces asked them from the booth.

"You choose Pamela. It's your prize after all", Harry said.

Pamela's eyes sparkled. It made her look even cuter. "Oh really? You're too sweet Harry! Hm… let's see… I'll have that pink monkey". She pointed to a pink, stuffed toy monkey hanging on a hook in the game booth.

The guy with braces took it and gave it to her. Pamela's happiness was probably overflowing as she received the stuffed toy. Gosh she seemed really happy.

"Hey, you seem happy Pamela", I grinned at her.

She giggled. "Well, I haven't received a stuffed toy for two years. I kept on buying other stuff. I guess I missed it. That's why I'm so excited now. Sorry if I'm being too perky, but I'm just so happy".

Harry chuckled. "I'm glad you like it".

"Like it? I love it! Thanks Harry!" Pamela said and kissed Harry gently on the cheek.

Harry was as red as a tomato now. It seems that today's his lucky day. I feel happy for him anyway.

"Where should we go next, Harry?" Pamela asked excitedly.

"Hm… I'm about to tell you something important… so can we go to the Ferris Wheel?" Harry asked.

"Really? Sure. I guess so".

"Let's get going then".

The two walked away, Harry holding Pamela's hand. Aw… they looked so sweet. Surprisingly, Harry didn't look like an older brother when he was with Pamela. They really looked like a couple, despite Pamela's child-like personality. I guess they just looked good together.

"Thanks for setting us up", Harry said to me as he passed by. I smiled.

I asked Harry to come with me to the carnival. He didn't know though that I asked Pamela to come with me too. He was totally caught off guard when Pamela arrived. He didn't know I set them up. But I made sure first that Harry finished his letter. Luckily, he did finish it. He even had it printed.

So here we were on a Saturday afternoon at the carnival. There were a lot of excited kids here, almost all of them holding cotton candy and stuffed toys.

I was all alone. Oh well. I could do what I want anyway. There were a lot of booths anyway.

Hm… maybe I should try the shooting booths. I'm in the mood for shooting squeaky little duckie toys anyway.

I looked around for the shooting booth with the duckies. I always enjoyed that kind of game.

I finally found one booth. It was just near the Merry-Go-Round. Hm… maybe I should ride that one when I'm done.

Okay… shoot the ducks first.

I arrived at the booth and paid for the fee. The guy in charge of the booth handed me my gun. I aimed for the ducks carefully arranged on the shelf.

I aimed for one duck. I shot in between breaths. That was one way of shooting accurately because your hands don't shake. There was a bang sound and the duck was shot. I did the same procedure for the next few minutes. I managed to shoot every single duck. I noticed that quite a crowd was already watching my game.

I smiled when I was done. That was fun. I'm still not so bad. I was very satisfied with the way I played.

The guy in charge of the booth grinned at me. "Nice job. So, what'll it be?"

I scanned the table for the displayed prizes. There were stuffed toys… Nah. Danny wouldn't really appreciate that. I've got to pick a prize that he'd love. There was a dictionary… okay… I'm not giving that to him. There were squeaky toys… yeah. I'd give it to him if he was still twelve years old.

One prize caught my eye though. It was kind of old, but it still looked like it was in mint condition. There was a signature on it. Oh well. It was the best one. I hope he likes it though.

"Um… how about that guitar pick?" I said, pointing to it.

"Oh. You sure about your choice?" the guy asked.

"I'm positive".

He handed me the guitar pick and I thanked him.

I walked around a bit, looking what I could do. I already finished my ice cream cone.

"ANTHEEEAAA!!!" a familiar voice called.

I froze. Oh no. Please. Please. No. Don't tell me it's him!

I turned around and saw David Kirkby approaching me.

Oh. Great. Really great.

Okay. I needed to hide now. Fast!

I walked away. I quickened my pace. I needed to get away. He was still following me.

I searched for a hiding spot. I finally found a huge tent; I could hide here from David. He was still looking for me and calling out my name.

I ran towards the tent.

I didn't do it carefully though, because I bumped into someone.

We both toppled to the ground.

"Ooh! Sorry!" I apologized.

"Anthea? You're here?" a familiar voice asked.

Wait… I know this guy!

I looked at him, my eyes widening. "Danny! You're here?"

He grinned. "Yeah. Wait. Why're you running here?"

"Ugh. I got chased by David Kirkby. Again".

"What?! That jerk! I swear I'm gonna punch his lights out!"

"Don't worry Danny. I think I lost him. How about you? Why are you here?"

"Laura's chasing me again. I came here to have fun and this happens! Jeez!"

Suddenly, the two stalkers called out our names.

"ANTHEEAA!!!!" David called from the left.

"DAANNYY!!!" Laura called from the right.

Danny winced and had a panicked expression on his face. "Let's get inside!!"

"Yes!" I agreed and we both entered the tent at once.

We actually entered a dressing room. A few performers were getting ready. Magicians, clowns, and gymnasts were busy preparing.

Uh-oh. This seemed like a stickier situation.

"Danny… this seems worse", I said.

"Nah. Any other situation is way better than having Laura and David with you", Danny replied.

"Hm… you have a point. Let's go out when the two are gone. These guys haven't seemed to notice us yet".

Suddenly, the ringmaster approached us, a huge smile glued to his face. "Ah! So you two are the brave volunteers! Excellent!! You go out now!!"

Danny and I exchanged confused expressions. What the heck was going on?

"Huh?" we both said at the same time.

"Aw… don't be modest! Go out now!!" he said enthusiastically and ushered us to the stage.

Oh no. What were we supposed to do?

The crowd was screaming. Their noise was the only thing that filled my ears. I looked down. I gulped. The distance from the ground was absolutely overwhelming. I could feel my teeth chatter and my legs wobble.

How did I get into this situation?

I looked at Danny; he was staring at the ground that seemed so far away now. He looked a bit nervous, but not as nervous as me though.

The ringmaster went to the center; the spotlight was focused on him. All eyes were directed at him as he began to speak in a loud, echoing and booming voice.

"Good afternoon ladies, gentlemen and beloved children! To start the show, we have a simple, yet daring presentation by our young volunteers up there", he said and pointed to us.

The spotlight shone on our faces. The audience applauded.

"Now, they're probably about three stories high up there. This is what they'll do: they'll jump from there and land on the cushion here. When they do land, there's this special surprise", he announced enthusiastically.

The children looked excited now and began to clap loudly.

I gulped. Their screams and applause only made me more nervous. I can't believe I agreed to this! I only agreed because the ringmaster said it would be easy, and he was bawling on the floor already.

He didn't say we were about to do something this cuckoo!!!

Danny suddenly held my hand and smiled gently at me.

"Hey, your hands are clammy. You okay?" he asked.

"Nope! I'm scared. Danny… we can't get down because we're here now… I'm so scared", I said.

We were standing on a wide platform attached to a pole. The cushion below was big enough, and we surely couldn't miss it.

But still, I was petrified.

"Anthea… I'm freakin' scared too… but I think it's safe… my friends said they did this last year. It wasn't that bad", Danny assured me.

"R-really?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Yup. I'm here. I'll keep you safe".

I gulped and looked at the ground again. The cushion below was big enough I guess. And it did look soft enough. Plus Danny was here right?

Still. The height was just frightening.

"They're a brave set of chaps! Why don't we give them a round of applause?" the ringmaster said over the microphone.

Everyone clapped and cheered. They were all excited for our little stunt. I couldn't just kill the thrill I guess.

Okay. I'm going to go through with this. Danny was with me, so why the heck should I worry?

I looked down again.

Then again, it's extremely and unbelievably high up here. Maybe I should fear for my life. Even just a bit.

The pounding of drums began to fill my ears. It was the signal for us to get ready. Okay. It's show time.

"Anthea, you ready?" Danny asked.

I nodded. "Yup. Let's get this over with".

The faster it ended the better.

He held my hand and smiled. I closed my eyes. I'd better do this.

"1… 2… 3… JUMP!!!"

We both jumped. The wind lashed against my cheeks. I felt like all of my organs were transferring to my head. It was unpleasant.

Suddenly, Danny hugged me to make sure I wouldn't get hurt. I gasped. But I felt better now. I felt safe in his arms.

We landed on the cushion safe and sound. As soon as we landed, confetti burst out from the cushion and pieces of candy flew off in different directions.

The crowd cheered as the candies scattered. Children were excitedly picking up the chocolate-coated treasures in their seats.

I was lying down. I looked at Danny's face which was a few inches away from mine. I sighed and smiled at him. Whew. It was safe after all. I could really trust Danny.

I suddenly realized that he was still hugging me.

My heart was all a-flutter.

"See? That wasn't so bad", he grinned.

I chuckled. "I guess so. Kinda fun. Except for the falling part."

"Yeah. I felt like puking too during that time".

"Well, let's get up now".

"Oh. Sure".

He let go of me and sat up. As I sat up too, I heard my back crack. So it wasn't such a smooth drop. Oh well. It was fun though.

Danny grinned. He was proud that I went through with the stunt. I grinned back.

The audience began to cheer for us as we hopped off the cushion. So this is how it feels like to be applauded by so many people. I have to admit, it really does feel good. We both bowed. A lot of children were beaming at us.

The ringmaster entered the center again. He patted our backs, smiling widely. "You guys did a great job! You were awesome!"

"Thanks. So… um… do we get paid?" I asked. We might get paid; we did a crazy stunt for Pete's sake!

The ringmaster burst into loud fits of laughter. It's as if I said something silly. "Oh you are too funny! Do you understand what volunteer means? Hahaha. Oh you crack me up!!"

"Oh… I see…" I said, laughing a bit.

Okaaay… Duh. Volunteer.

Danny laughed as well, teasing me. I rolled my eyes and grinned.

"Now everyone. One last trick for you by these guys. Boy, hold this", he said and handed a piece of cloth to Danny.

Danny obeyed.

"Okay. Hand it to her", the ringmaster instructed again.

When Danny handed it to me, the cloth disappeared and was replaced by a bouquet of roses.

"Whooa!" I exclaimed as the thing poofed out.

Danny seemed surprised too.

The crowd cheered again. They were really enjoying this. Children were giggling and pointing at us. Some were even jumping around.

"Fantastic! You can keep that!" the ringmaster said joyfully.

Danny seemed to blush a bit when he gave me the bouquet. I turned pink as well.

This would've been a really sweet moment, if we were under normal circumstances.

The ringmaster sent us away. He told us to go to the exit right near us. He thanked us as we left.

That was a crazy roller coaster ride.

We finally exited. When we got outside, we looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Okaay. That was a weird experience. But… I… um… kinda enjoyed", I laughed.

Danny grinned. "You want to get an ice cream?"

I nodded. "Sure. I'm starved".

We looked around for the ice cream machine. We finally found it. I ordered a hazel-nut flavoured ice cream and he ordered a rocky-road flavoured one.

We sat on a bench and began licking our ice creams. We chatted a bit about our little stunt, chuckling as we did so. It was a really unique and funny experience.

Suddenly, the speakers a few meters away began to give off sound:

"Good afternoon! I'm Jonathan Heathrow and you're all very lucky to be here because you get a chance to win a trip to Paris along with your friends! It's one week full of fun and enjoyment. Our crew will randomly select from the crowd who they want. So please stay if you want to win this trip!"

"Ooh. I'd love to win that!" I exclaimed excitedly.

Imagine, little old me in Paris. It would be so romantic if I'm going with Danny. I'd love to go out on a date with him under the Eiffel Tower. That would be so lovely.

"I know. It would be wicked!" he replied grinning.

I dug my hands into my pockets and felt the guitar pick. Oh yeah. I was going to give him this,

"Danny. I got you this. I won it a while ago. It's small but I hope you appreciate it", I said and handed him my simple little gift.

"Hey. Thanks! It's really…", he was cut off when he began to examine the guitar pick.

"WICKEED!!" he suddenly exclaimed, then began to laugh. He was grinning so widely now and getting all excited.

I've never seen him so hyper.

He began to hug me tightly. I felt like my air supply was being cut off. Whoa! He really loved my gift.

"This is amazing Anthea! I mean, Bruce Springsteen signed this! Thank you! He's my idol! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he said as he released me and kissed me on the cheek.

I blushed. Oh my…

"Um… sure Danny. I'm glad you love it!" I replied, grinning.

He grinned widely now. He was such in a good mood. He kept on looking at the guitar pick.

Maybe… maybe I should tell him now. I think nothing could soil his mood.

"Danny… um… can I tell you something?" I told him slowly.

He shrugged. "Sure. Go on".

Okay. So how should I start?

The truth is, I've fallen for you.

Nah. Too direct.

You know, love works in funny ways…

Eeww!! That is so corny!

Oh the heck with it! I'm just going to blurt it out!

"Danny, I really think that I really like—" I began to say but then I was cut off by the volume of the speakers.

"Hello everyone!!" Jonathan Heathrow began to announce.

Darn it! Why now?? Oh man. Jeez! Just when I'm about to tell him all that I'm feeling inside, this interruption cuts me off. I was so unlucky today.

I sighed. Next time.

"We have selected a winner from the crowd!! Please state your name!" Jonathan said.

"Er… Hi. I'm… Dougie Poynter", Dougie said.

Danny and I looked at each other with flabbergasted expressions on our faces.

"Whooa!! Dougie won??" Danny exclaimed, laughing.

This was a total shocker.

"Oh my gosh. He did!" I exclaimed as well and laughed.

Well, I was interrupted. I sighed once more. When will I get to tell Danny again? This should've been the prefect moment.

Hm… maybe it just wasn't the right moment. Oh well. I could wait a bit more I guess.

All of a sudden, Danny held my hand tightly. He squeezed it. He smiled at me, his teeth gleaming. I could feel my heart pounding. "Thanks for the gift. I loved it".

I smiled, feeling that I could faint on the spot. "Sure thing Danny. Anything for you".


	41. Chapter 41

CHAPTER 41 (PARIS)

"Dougie, I love you", I told Dougie as we got out of the plane. The sound of the plane engine was whirring loudly and the wind was blowing forcefully.

Dougie chuckled. "Thanks. Besides, what would I do here all alone?"

The breeze was cold when we got out of the plane.

This was a really sweet treat by Dougie. Since he won the trip to Paris, he also got the chance to take us with him. He decided to go with me, Danny, Harry, Tom, Pamela, Nicole, Jessica, Evangeline, Jenny and Tyrone.

We asked the school to have us excused from classes for a while. There were no problems with our grades and the school was just having activities for the next few weeks. We wouldn't miss much anyway.

So we decided to head for Paris.

Harry got out of the plane too. He didn't look so good though. He looked really sick. Pamela was rubbing his back.

"Harry, are you feeling okay now?" Pamela asked him, looking extremely concerned.

Harry took a deep breath, sighed and smiled. "Y-yeah. I'm still in one piece. I just really don't like flying".

Pamela smiled and began dragging her luggage along the ramp. Harry began to do the same as well with his own luggage. The wheels were making a tiny squeaking sound as they rubbed against the coarse surface of the ramp.

Harry and Pamela have decided to go out together now. It's really sweet. Luckily, Pamela liked Harry too, so it was wonderful for both of them.

Dougie and Jessica came out too. The two were holding hands and were looking really sleepy. I'm not wondering though. The two didn't sleep throughout the whole trip. They were too busy chatting and playing with peanuts. Still, they looked pretty sweet. They really liked each other.

Nicole and Evangeline emerged now as well, followed by Tyrone and Jenny who were holding hands as well. Danny went out last along with Tom.

We finally entered the airport. We got the rest of our luggage and went outside. Tom called for his family's bodyguards who were at Paris. They came with a limousine to come and pick us up.

Well, as long as you're with Tom, everything's fabulous.

We drove to Tom's other mansion here in Paris. Like the one back at home, it was equally huge.

We went to our rooms and unpacked our stuff. I was going to be roomies with all the girls. Our room was wonderful. The curtains were a soft pinkish color, the bed was fluffy and we could see the Eiffel Tower from our window. It was big, probably even big enough to fit ten people.

After resting for a few hours from the exhausting trip, we all met at the mansion's living room. We all began to plan what we would do for today. Paris was a big city, so were absolutely excited to explore the whole place.

"Hm… I really can't decide what to buy. This pink bag or this blue bag?" I asked Danny when we entered 'Veela', one of the biggest malls here. I was at this cute shop called 'Snaps'. I was holding two bags of the same design, but one was pink and the other was blue.

I thought they were both cute. But I only want one.

Danny observed the two. I can't believe I'm asking for his opinion. "Pink looks cuter on you. You are pretty feminine".

I held the bag and looked at the mirror. Hm… Yeah. Pink definitely looked better than blue.

I grinned, satisfied. "Thanks for helping Danny. I think I'll take it",

Danny smiled. "Sure".

I finally paid for the bag. I had no regrets. It was the better choice. Danny had great taste.

We all had different plans for today. Jessica, Tyrone, Jenny, Pamela, Nicole and Evangeline decided to head for the Louvre Museum. Tom had to visit his relatives in Paris and Harry and Dougie decided to go watch a concert together.

Danny and I wanted to roam around Paris, so we were together.

I don't mind, even if there were only two of us. It felt like a date. I was daydreaming about what could happen today.

We exited the mall after shopping. The sun was shining brightly in the beautiful city of Paris, as if it were beaming at the city. Today was a perfect day to roam around here. It was just before noon.

I saw a park near us. People were feeding some pigeons and children were playing around. It was a charming place, with brightly coloured flowers dotting the area and the grass had a serene shade of green.

Feeding pigeons seemed like a very inviting idea to me. Maybe I could try feeding them. I've always wanted to try it.

"Danny, let's feed some pigeons", I told Danny, pulling him towards the park.

He laughed. "What?"

"Let's just do it. I've always wanted to try it".

He continued laughing but decided to go along with what I planned.

We had one problem though: we didn't have pigeon food. Thankfully, this kind old lady gave us some.

She even remarked "You two look sweet. How many years have you been a couple?"

We chuckled and blushed. We told her that we weren't a couple.

She was surprised, but then she smiled and said "Oh no dearies. You two are not a couple… Yet". She heavily emphasized the word 'yet'. We only laughed again. She left us and we said goodbye to her.

We began feeding the pigeons. It was fun. However, Danny kept on chasing the birds away.

"Danny! Haha. Stop driving them away!" I laughed and threw some bird seed at him.

"Hey! No fair!" he laughed and threw some back at me.

We continued this for a few minutes. It had to end, because we ran out of bird seed.

My stomach suddenly grumbled. Danny chuckled.

"You want to go eat now?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yup. I'm famished".

We walked around Paris a bit. The place was spectacular. There so many restaurants, but we couldn't decide yet.

Suddenly, a blonde guy who was a few meters away from us began to stare at me. I looked at him, and then he smiled at me. He even winked at me.

I was freaked out and I didn't look at him again.

All of a sudden, Danny pulled me by the waist and placed his arm around my shoulder, as if shielding me from a beast. I saw him glare at the blonde dude. The guy met his gaze and flinched. The stranger looked away, appearing very scared.

My heart practically jumped. I never thought Danny felt so protective about me.

We finally stopped at this cute-looking restaurant. It was called "The Little Frenchie". What an adorable name. I peeped through the glass.

Hm… it's weird… But all of these people were couples. I wonder what's going on today. There weren't groups of people inside, only couples. Danny was looking at a sign inside the restaurant.

Suddenly, he grinned and placed his arm around my shoulder. He walked inside the restaurant, dragging me with him.

I was shocked. I turned a bit red.

"D-Danny? What are we doing?" I asked him.

"Trust me, you'll be thankful", he winked at me.

We sat inside, and waited for a waiter. One approached us. He had silvery hair and his moustache was of the same color as well. He had watery blue eyes and a gentle aura about him. He beamed when he saw us.

"Oh. Good that you saw our sign! You two are a sweet-looking bunch", he remarked.

Danny chuckled. "Thank you. We've been together for a year now, right dear?"

I looked at him, a puzzled expression on my face. What was he plotting? I was turning red now, probably only a few shades away from scarlet.

He winked at me, like he was signalling me to just go along with this.

I smiled. Okay. I trust him.

"Oh yes! One wonderful year", I beamed.

The waiter smiled and pulled out a fountain pen and note pad from his pocket. "Ah. It's refreshing to see couples that last. What'll you have then?"

"I'll have chocolate crepe, grape juice, Welsch if you please, and some cookies", Danny replied. The waiter jotted that down. I could hear the scratching sound of the pen against the paper.

"And you madam?" the waiter turned to me.

"I'll have strawberry crepe, a milkshake… and that's it", I smiled.

The waiter nodded. "I'll be back with your order along with your 'Lover's Ice Cream Split'".

When he left, I shot Danny a confused look. "'Lover's Ice Cream Split'? We didn't order for that".

Danny smiled. "Well, I saw the sign a while ago about their pre-Valentine's Day special. You get the 'Lover's Ice Cream Split' for free once you go in as a couple. That's why this place is jam-packed with couples."

"Oh! So that's why you said that we were together."

"Yeah. Let's just pretend for today. And you do like ice cream".

I chuckled. "It's okay anyway. I don't mind a bit".

Danny smiled. I began to daydream a bit again. This time, I was imagining that Danny and I were really a couple for a year already. We've had a lot of dates, sweet moments and unforgettable memories. It made my heart throb again.

I snapped back into reality once our order came. The crepes were delicious. We finished our orders and began drinking our milkshake and grape juice.

We were finished. I was still a bit hungry though. Thankfully, we've still got some ice cream coming up.

The waiter arrived with out ice cream. It was… massive. There were about eight scoops of strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and mango. There were a few cherries on top and it was covered it thick chocolate syrup.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed as the waiter put down the enormous dessert on our table.

"Enjoy", the waiter said.

I stared at the monstrous size of the ice cream. I was hungry, but I was no pig. How on earth was I supposed to finish it? Let alone digest it.

"Danny, you pick up the spoon first", I told him. I was hoping he'd a lot of it, and then I'd eat the rest.

Danny shrugged and nodded. He picked up his spoon, dug it in the ice cream. He got a huge scoop. Much to my surprise, he placed it near my mouth.

"Eat it, dear", he teased me.

I laughed. "You eat it first Danny".

He shook his head. "If we're going to pretend as a couple, we should act like one right? So eat it up".

I laughed. Danny was too much. However, I gave in and opened my mouth. He placed the spoon gently and slowly into my mouth. I ate the ice cream. Danny pulled the spoon back.

Mmm… Yummy. It tasted better because Danny fed it to me. This was such a funny moment.

I grabbed the other unused spoon and dug it into the ice cream as well.

It was my turn to feed him.

"Open wide", I said.

He opened his mouth. But as I tried to feed him, I accidentally shoved to his nose, leaving small traces of vanilla ice cream on his nose.

I gasped and laughed. "I am so sorry Danny! Really, I didn't mean that".

He grabbed a tissue from the table and wiped his nose. He grinned at me. "It's okay. Um… The mouth is just below the nose, okay? The last time I checked, a nose doesn't intake food. But if you want to experiment about another way to have the body absorb the food, don't try it on me".

I laughed and poked him. I tried feeding him again. This time, it was a success.

We stopped the feeding after a few minutes because Danny purposely put ice cream on my nose.

We were finally done. I was pretty full.

I had a good day, amazing even. I still can't believe that Danny and I were a couple for the day.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I took it from my pocket.

"Hello?" I said.

"Anthea! This is Paul. You're in Paris right? With Danny?" Paul said.

"Yes Paul. He's with me".

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure! Anything Paul. What is it?"

"You see…"


	42. Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42 (BOTTOM OF THE LAKE)

I woke up in my room back at Tom's mansion in Paris. The girls were still sleepy. I could hear Pamela murmur something in her sleep.

Danny and I went home yesterday when we finished talking about Paul's favour, which we agreed to.

I checked my watch; it was eight in the morning. It's time for me to get changed. I opened the closet and got my clothes. I grabbed a towel and proceeded to the bathroom near our room.

My eyes were still sleepy. I opened the door.

Danny was actually inside, wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. He was just finished brushing his teeth.

I flinched. Oops! I opened the wrong bathroom! This was the one for boys!

Danny looked surprised too.

"Um… Sorry! I opened the wrong door!" I apologized, blushing furiously. Jeez! Why couldn't I check when I'm about to open a door?

Danny was blushing too. "Oh. No. It's perfectly fine".

"I'll… just go now", I said nervously and dashed, closing the door quickly.

I finally entered the right bathroom. I locked the door and hung my clothes on a rack.

I had to admit, Danny looked… so fit.

I finally finished taking my shower. I put on my clothes and went downstairs. I could smell the aroma of bacon and toast.

Danny was cooking in the kitchen already. The bacon and toast were neatly placed on plates.

"Whoa Danny. I can't believe you cook", I exclaimed as I took my seat on the dining table.

He chuckled. "I've been cooking for years now. So, it's really no big deal".

I began spreading strawberry jam on a piece of toast. I began eating it. It was delicious.

I was craving for an apple now. I stood up and went to the fridge. I found one scrumptious-looking apple sitting in the fridge.

I grabbed it and got a knife. I began peeling the apple carefully. I wasn't really good at this. I used to have an awful lot of accidents just by peeling apples. I was confident though that I'll get it right this time.

Suddenly, I lost control over the knife and it hit my thumb. A drop of blood oozed from my thumb and dropped to the floor.

"Ouch!" I yelped and examined my thumb. There was a small cut and blood was still trickling from it. I began washing it in the sink.

Danny looked panicked now. He immediately grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket, approached me, and wrapped it around my thumb when it was dry.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt? What happened?" he began to ask.

I winced a bit. "Nah. I just cut my thumb. I'm not very good at peeling you see".

"Aw… You should've asked me to do it. You wouldn't have got hurt then".

"Danny… I'm fine. I've suffered worse cuts". Then I pointed to a scar on my right wrist.

"How did that happen?"

"I cut it when I was four. I wanted to peel an apple too. I guess I really should avoid knives. My body won't bend down to my mind though".

Danny went "aaww" and suddenly stroked my hair very gently. He smiled at me. I could feel my heart throb so violently now. Gosh he looked angelic.

"Well, you should let me do the peeling for you know. I couldn't let you get hurt. I don't think I can bear that".

I blushed. That was so sweet.

"Is your thumb okay now?" he asked gently.

I tried moving it a bit. It seemed fine now. "It's okay now. Thanks for the handkerchief".

He gave out a huge sigh of relief. "That's good. Here, now let me peel it for you".

He got the apple and began peeling it expertly. He was done in less than a minute.

He handed me that apple and I thanked him. I bit into it.

He checked his watch. "It's 9:30 now. Are you done?"

I just finished my apple. I nodded. "Yup. You know the place?"

"Tom's chauffeur knows it".

"Okay. Let's get going then".

"Perfect, now move to the left", the photographer instructed me.

I shifted to the left, being careful of the gown that I was wearing.

The photographer took a picture of us. He grinned. "You two look so perfect together. Paul, where do you get these models?"

Paul was by his side, beaming as well. "I actually just got them from the crowd a long time ago. You know, the time when my models didn't show up for the shoot. They are quite sweet".

"Are you guys together?" the photographer asked us.

Danny and I exchanged looks and blushed. We shook our heads.

"Aw… What a shame. I hope you end up together. Your photos are very sweet you know".

We blushed once more. We've been getting this a lot now.

"I never thought I'd wear a wedding suit again. And the same one as the last photo shoot too!" Danny remarked.

I nodded. "I know. I didn't think I'd wear the same gown too. Well, Paul needs it for his feature on a magazine. So I'm okay with this".

"Yup. We owe him one anyway".

Paul's favour was to have us model his wedding gown and suit again. Apparently, an editor of a fashion magazine loved the pictures. So he asked Paul to have the same models don the same outfits. This time, the background was a lake.

The lake here was very cute and the flowers were beautiful. It would be nice to have this scenery on a post card. The lake also had a romantic feel to it.

"Hey, I think I've got a perfect pose for them", Paul suddenly exclaimed.

"I'm all ears for your suggestion", the photographer replied.

"Have Danny carry Anthea. You know, the way does after they get married".

"I like that idea! Danny, can you lift Anthea?"

"Oh. Sure", Danny agreed.

"Danny, can you really carry me?" I asked him. The last time someone lifted me, he sprained his ankle. Poor Harry. I still couldn't forget that incident.

"Nah. I'm sure. Seriously. You ready now?"

I nodded.

Danny bent down and began carrying me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. I looked into his eyes, smiling. He smiled back at me, his eyes were sparkling.

"You make a lovely bride. Well, pretend-bride at least", he grinned at me.

I turned pink, my heart pounded again. "Thank you. You look wicked as a pretend-groom".

He smiled again, flashing his perfectly straight set of teeth. We looked into each other's eyes.

The photographer clicked on his camera. "Absolutely lovely! That was a great shot! You can put her down now".

Danny nodded and gently set me on the ground.

"We're done now?" I asked Paul.

"Sure. We finished everything. Thanks for coming!"

"Sure thing Paul", Danny replied.

"Well, it's still early. You wanna do something now?", Paul said.

I scanned the lake. I saw a few boats floating on the clear water.

"I think I've got an idea", I said.

"Row! Row! Row!" I told Danny.

Danny chuckled. "What? You're not even rowing the boat!"

I laughed. "Nah. You can stop now. We're in the middle anyway. We can stay here… And maybe I can push you to the lake!"

He stuck out his tongue. "As if I'd let that happen. Besides, the lake is only until my hips. I won't drown".

I looked around the look the lake. It looked really peaceful. The water was sparkling when the rays of the sun hit it. We were just a few meters away from the shore. It was a small lake anyway. Paul was sitting on a chair, chatting with the photographer.

This felt like a really sweet moment. Only Danny and I were here.

I suddenly wanted to hear him sing again.

"Danny, can you sing me another original song of yours?" I asked him.

He nodded and sat closer to me.

"It's called the 'Heart Never Lies'", he replied and began to sing.

"Some people fight, some people fall

Others pretend, they don't care at all.

If you wanna fight,

I'll stand right beside you.

The day that you fall

I'll be right behind you,

To pick up the pieces.

If you don't believe me.

Just look into my eyes.

Coz the heart never lies."

He finished singing. As always, there were goose bumps on my skin. I always felt like this way whenever Danny sang. My heart pounded once more. I think I fell in love with him all over again.

Danny was looking at me fondly, his eyes sort of gleaming now. He suddenly held my hand.

My heart probably crashed to my chest.

"D-Danny?" I asked nervously.

His head moved closer to mine, he was still looking at me very fondly. "Um… can you close your eyes for a bit? I've been dying to tell you something. I guess it's better if I show it", he said slowly.

I didn't know if I should stop him, but I didn't move a muscle. I closed my eyes. I could feel his face practically a few inches away from mine. It made my heart beat even more.

Then suddenly, something went wrong and our boat capsized. We both plunged into the water as we toppled over.

Oh my gosh! I was drowning! Why did this have to happen?? Oh no. Oh no. I feel like something's slowly pulling me to the bottom of this lake!!

I flailed my arms, desperate to get a hold of something. I looked at Danny, he looked surprisingly calm.

Danny looked at me, and snorted. Then he was laughing so much. He looked like he could cry.

"D-Danny! I'm drowning here!!" I said in a terrified voice.

"Anthea, you can't possibly drown", Danny chuckled.

"Wha-what? What do you mean?"

He stood up. The water was until his hips.

Then it hit me.

Oh yeah. The water wasn't deep.

I stood up too. The water was until a little bit over my hips. I guess I didn't notice because I panicked too much.

I turned red now. This was so embarrassing. I must've looked like a total idiot.

I smiled sheepishly at Danny. "I panicked, so I didn't know. Sorry."

I shrugged my shoulders and grinned.

Danny approached me and suddenly pinched my right cheek hard.

"Hey", I exclaimed, laughing as he finally pulled away his hand. "What was that for?"

"You're just so cute", he chuckled.

With that comment, I felt like I was floating towards heaven.

We walked back to the shore, our clothes dripping.

It was a good thing we changed into our outside clothes before getting into the boat.

Well, I guess that was the only bright side of this crazy situation.

Paul and the photographer were laughing when they saw us.

"We saw you guys!" they both beamed at the same time.

Danny and I chuckled.

We decided to just dry up for a while. Paul had some towels in his bag.

The photographer suddenly got a newspaper from his pocket and unrolled it. His eyes suddenly widened.

"Whoaa!! BUSTED has a concert here?" he exclaimed.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Busted?!?!?! Here in Paris?!?!

"Really??" I asked him as he handed me the newspaper.

There it was, printed in huge bold black letters: BUSTED CONCERT THIS AFTERNOON AT KENNEDY ARENA. Then there was a picture of James Bourne, Charlie Simspon and Matt Willis. The concert was scheduled at 4 o'clock.

I have got to go to this concert!!

"Danny! Let's go watch Busted!" I urged him while tugging on is shirt, never taking my eyes off the newspaper.

Danny was about to reply when the cell phone from his bag rang. Paul handed him his bag.

He got it and answered it. "Hello?"

He listened to the phone for a while. Suddenly, a huge smile was on his face.

"No way! Wicked! We'll come over!" he exclaimed and ended the call.

"What was that about Danny?" I asked him.

He grinned. "Well, we now have free VIP passes and seats for the Busted concert this afternoon."

I screamed and jumped around. "Really?!?!? How???"

"I don't know but Jenny received those just now".

"What??? Jenny??"

"Yes!!"

"She's freakin' lucky!! Let's get going now so we can change".

I need to get changed now. I definitely need to hear how Jenny got those tickets for free. I'm so excited for the concert!

Most of all, I can't believe I'll meet Busted!


	43. Chapter 43

CHAPTER 43 (MEETING CELEBRITIES)

"Oooh. My. Gosh", Jessica said as we went inside the arena.

The whole place was jammed with people of all ages. A lot of them were holding up posters like "I love you James", "Matt Willis rocks my socks", and "Charlie, I'm an air hostess".

"I can't believe I'm here", Dougie said as his eyes scanned the arena.

I felt like my heart could burst. Busted was actually here, and I'm about to watch them!

We made our way to the front seats. We were at the spot nearest to the stage. In fact, our seats had labels such as "Reserved for Mr. Tom Fletcher", "Reserved for Ms. Jessica Taylor". I was pretty impressed and curious. Why would they give so much priority to us?

We all took our seats. I was happy to see that I was seated next to Danny.

I looked at Jenny. I was shocked to see a bouquet of flowers on her seat. I haven't asked her how she got the tickets though. She only smiled when she saw the sweet gesture, like she already expected it to come.

Whoa. Was there some connection between her and Busted?

"Danny, do you know how Jenny's connected to Busted?" I asked Danny, hoping he would know the answers.

"No. I have no idea. I'm also wondering why", he shrugged.

"Well, let's ask her later. I'm dying to know".

Danny chuckled.

I looked at the rest of my companions. Dougie and Jessica were holding hands together. Suddenly, Dougie dug into his pockets and gave  
her a bar of chocolate. Jessica thought that it was sweet so she gently pecked him on the cheek.

Harry and Pamela looked sweet too. They were chatting while Harry placed his arm on Pamela's shoulder.

Nicole seemed to have a good time with a French guy who was sitting next to her. They were chatting animatedly.

I could hear Evangeline talking to Thomas on the phone. She was giggling as their conversation kept on going.

It's like everyone's been hit by Cupid or something. Danny and I were the only ones who didn't have someone.

At least that's what I thought.

Then I looked at Danny.

But then, I wouldn't mind going out with Danny. I'd probably even be thrilled. He was so sweet and I don't think I can ever dislike him.

I scanned the seats again. Wait. There was one empty chair. I realized that Tom wasn't here yet.

He suddenly popped out from the crowd at our back, holding someone's hand. I saw that it was Aloura.

Danny looked surprised too.

"Aloura? You're here?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Of course. I took some time off to watch Busted. Good thing Tom called me", she replied, looking very excited.

The two went to their seats. Aloura seemed to have reserved a seat for herself as well.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. I could feel my whole body tingle. This is it! The concert's finally starting.

A familiar voice spoke over the microphone "Hey guys!!"

The audience screamed as they recognized the voice of James Bourne. I was hopping, barely containing my excitement.

"Thanks for coming! I promise you it will be a wicked concert. Enjoy everyone!" James said.

A guitar began to play and it was followed by drums. My eyes widened as I recognized the song. It was Crashed the Wedding! We were all standing up now.

James began to sing:

"I'm so rushed off my feet,  
Looking for Gordon Street.  
So much I need to say  
I'm sorry that it's on her wedding day".

The lights went back, showing the incredible trio onstage. The audience shrieked again. Matt Willis began doing his part:

"Coz she's so right for me,  
Her daddy disagrees.  
He's always hated me.  
Because I never got a J-O-B"  
Charlie nailed his part.  
"Coz she's mine".  
Then they all sang:  
"And i'm glad i crashed the wedding,  
It's better than regretting,  
I could have been a loser kid  
And ran away and hid  
But it's the best thing that I ever did.  
Coz true love lasts forever  
And now we're back together  
As if he never met her  
So looking back,  
I'm glad I crashed the wedding..."

The crowd was dancing to the beat of the song as the band kept on playing.

Danny and I were singing together. We got some lyrics wrong but we just laughed.

The band began playing more of their songs. The people were having such a great time. I was too. This was probably one of the best moments of my life. Nothing could ruin this.

Someone suddenly took their seat just behind us.

"Excuse me! Ow! Get out of the way!!" she yelled at one person.

Hm… Somehow, this obnoxious-sounding person seemed so familiar. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it… The band was playing too  
loudly for me to hear.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped itself around Danny. Danny flinched and turned around.

"Danny dear!!! It's you!!" the girl squeaked.

Oh no. It was Laura.

Danny had a sour expression on his face. "Get away Laura!!"

She only giggled and hugged him tighter. "I'm so glad you're here. Tee-hee. I just knew I had to come here!"

Danny pulled away from her. She pouted.

"Danny, what's wrong with you? I shower you with all my love and you push me away!" she complained in a loud voice

"Laura, listen. The problem's not you… Well, actually, it is pretty much you", Danny replied.

Laura gasped. "What? Me? But I'm perfect!"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'm about to get to my point. The things is, I already like someone, okay?"

Laura's eyes widened. She blinked a few times. All of a sudden, tears welled up in her eyes. Danny suddenly had a panicked  
expression on his face.

"Um… P-Please don't cry", he tried to comfort her.

Laura began to bawl. She was starting to wail now too. She could barely speak in between sobs. She began wiping her tears with the  
back of her hand.

"H-h-h-how c-c-c-could you? I c-c-can't believe you", she choked and began to storm off.

I rolled my eyes. Drama queen. She's lucky Danny's so nice.

Danny grabbed her arm before she could disappear. "Wait! Okay. I'm sorry. But please understand, I already like someone. I'm sorry,  
okay?"

Laura sniffed. "Oh fine. But you can make it up to me. I just have one request".

Danny gulped. This was deadly, almost like making a deal with the devil himself. He looked nervous. But knowing him, he'd probably  
agree, just to show how sorry he was.

He sighed. "Fine. What is it?"

She started to calm down a bit and smile. At least she could speak properly now. "Well, we're in Paris. So could you go out on a date with me? Specifically on Valentine's Day".

My jaw dropped. Obnoxious little wrench said what?

How dare she? How could she do this? And Danny has to do her a favor? I could feel my blood boil and my head giving off steam.

I was about to yell at her when Danny spoke:

"Nope. No can do", Danny shook his head.

Laura began to pout again. "Why???"

"Because… I already have plans for Valentine's Day. Sorry".

She looked outraged. "Oh! Then I'll be angry at you forever!!"

Danny rolled his eyes. "I'm perfectly fine with that".

She began to cry again. "Oooh! I cannot believe you!! Of all the rude, unbelievable and low little…"

Busted was already playing 'Air Hostess'. I couldn't really enjoy the performance because of Laura's rants. Danny looked annoyed too. I suddenly had an idea.

"THAT UNIFORM YOU'RE WEARING, SO HOT I CAN'T STOP STARING", I sang loudly, finally drowning out Laura's voice.

She flashed me an angry expression. "Oooh! So that's how-"

"YOU'RE PUTTING ON AN AWESOME SHOW!!" Danny began to sing loudly too.

I grinned at him and he winked back at me.

"THE CABIN PRESSURE'S RISING. MY COKE HAS GOT NO ICE IN NOW… AIR HOSTESS!!!! I LIKE THE WAY YOU DRESS!!!!" Danny and I  
practically screamed.

"Uuuugh!!" Laura said and walked away.

Danny and I chuckled. Well, at least she was gone now. we could enjoy the concert now.

We had a great time as the band played songs like 'Falling For You', 'Thunderbirds Are Go', 'Britney', '3am', 'Who's David', 'Nerdy',  
'What I Go To School For', and so much more.

The band was finally about to play their final song.

"We're going to play a favorite song of ours", Matt grinned as he said over the microphone.

"Let's just say it's a futuristic one", Charlie grinned.

The crowd cheered.

"Danny! It's 'Year 3000'!!" I said to Danny excitedly as I tugged on his shirt. I loved this song! I'm glad they were about to play it.

Danny laughed. "You seem excited".

"Well, I love the song", I grinned at him.

"So, you know what song it is?" James smiled.

The crowd shouted: "YEAR 3000!!!"

"You got that right", Matt chuckled.

"So we're about to play now", Charlie said.

"Let's go", James urged the band.

The lights went out again. I could feel excitement gradually building up in everyone.

Suddenly, Danny held my hand.

"Getting excited?" he laughed.

"Totally", I replied.

The band started to play their guitars. This time, there were people in alien costumes positioned onstage.

"One day when I came home at lunchtime,  
I heard a funny noise  
Went out to the back yard to find out if it was,  
One of those rowdy boys.  
Stood there with my neighbour called peter,  
And a Flux Capacitor.  
He told me he built a time machine  
Like the one in a film I've seen,  
Yeah yeah... He said...

I've been to the year three thousand  
Not much has changed but they lived under water,  
And your great great great grand daughter,  
Is pretty fine".

The song continued and we all danced to it. Danny and I couldn't help but grin at each other. This was really great.

The song finally ended. Everyone had a blast. Busted said goodbye to everyone. We were sticking for a while though. We received backstage passes and we were definitely going to use them.

The crowd started going home. We waited until other people finished going backstage. Finally, it was our turn. We were the last ones to go backstage. I could feel my heart sprint as I saw James, Charlie and Matt sitting on chairs.

James looked up and grinned widely. "Jenny!!! I'm glad you could make it!"

We all looked surprised and turned our heads to Jenny. She was smiling as well. "Hey James. It's been a while. Of course I'd come".

We were all stunned. Jenny actually knew James Bourne??


	44. Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44 (CHILDHOOD MEMORIES)

Danny and I exchanged dumbstruck expressions. Is this really true? Did Jenny and James really know each other? Am I just having a dream or something? Everyone had the same reaction. Well, except for Evangeline. She looked like she already knew.

James stood up and immediately approached Jenny. He was walking fast. He looked so happy. He hugged Jenny.

"Hey. I missed you. How's it going?" he grinned at her when he let go.

"Everything's fine James. Aw… I'm so glad you're having such a successful career now", she replied.

"Aw… Thanks. I'm quite proud too".

He smiled and looked at Tyrone, who was standing beside Jenny.

"Ah. So, you must be Tyrone right? Jenny's current boyfriend?" he asked Tyrone in a friendly tone as he stretched out his hand.

Tyrone shook it and beamed at him. "Yup. That's me".

"Good. Jenny, who are all of these friends of yours?"

"Well, that's Evangeline, in the far left. Those are Harry, Dougie, Jessica Tom and Aloura. Those twins are Nicole and Pamela. And these  
two are Danny and Anthea", Jenny introduced us.

We all smiled when she called out our names.

Danny and I smiled widely.

"I'm a huge fan", I beamed.

James chuckled. "Thanks. So I presume that the two of you are dating?" James asked.

Danny and I exchanged looks. Probably everyone thought we were a couple.

Danny chortled. "No. We're just really close friends".

I nodded in agreement.

James's eyes widened. "Really? Well, I really thought you guys were together. You just look so sweet".

We both turned pink. This was very usual, actually. But I've never quite gotten used to it. I looked at Danny. He shrugged his shoulder  
and grinned at me.

"Oh. By the way, I guess you know my mates over there", James said as he pointed to Charlie and Matt.

The two began to approach us. Matt's black hair was cut short now and Charlie's blond hair was gelled well. Wow. They still looked  
great even after the concert.

"I'm Charlie", Charlie grinned.

"And I'm Matt", Matt smiled.

We all said 'Hi' to them. This was so cool! I was so happy I got to meet my idols!

"Jenny, we're free tomorrow and we're going somewhere. You wanna come with us?" James asked Jenny.

I felt like the world suddenly stopped spinning. Please say yes Jenny!

Jenny smiled. "Sure James. We haven't hung out for a while. We'd love too".

Yes! Everyone was beaming.

James grinned. "Excellent! We'll pick you up tomorrow at nine in the morning. Where're you guys staying?"

"We're staying at the Fletcher Mansion", Jenny replied.

"Fletcher? Did I hear that right?" Matt said, very much surprised.

"Dude! At that place? Seriously?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah. Tom Fletcher's with us", Jenny replied, pointing to Tom.

Matt immediately went to Tom and shook his hand. "Dude, you're filthy rich. Don't you have a mansion in countries like Egypt, Thailand,  
Denmark, Canada and even Philippines? I can't believe I'm meeting a Fletcher. Nice to meet you dude".

Tom could only chuckle in reply. "Er… Yeah. I'm glad to see you guys too. I'm a fan".

"So, we have to go now I guess if we're going to get up tomorrow", Jenny told James.

Yeah. It was getting pretty late.

James nodded. "Sure, sure. So, we'll see you tomorrow? Can you get home?"

"Yes and yes. Tom' limousine's here", Jenny replied.

We all waved goodbye to them after asking for their autographs. I was definitely not going home without those. Jessica and I squealed  
when the band signed on Jessica's autograph book.

We walked out of the arena like happy kids who just received mountains of candies.

"Jessica, I love this day!" I squealed to her.

"I know! Simply the best!" she replied happily.

We got inside the limousine. This was such a nice day. No. That's an understatement. It was a wicked day.

We finally arrived at Tom's Mansion. I was dead tired. I went to my room and changed into my pajamas. I went outside to brush my  
teeth. Everyone seemed to be in their rooms.

I went to the bathroom and began to brush my teeth. I was finished in a few minutes.

I suddenly heard something squeak. I placed my toothbrush in its container and turned around.

Danny was just outside the bathroom, wearing his fluffy bunny slippers. I laughed.

"Caught you Danny. You really like those, don't you?" I chuckled.

He grinned at me. "Well, they're comfy. You can't argue with that."

I shrugged. I guess he was right. I turned off the lights in the bathroom. I yawned.

"Aw… You need to go to sleep now", he said.

I nodded. "I definitely do. Goodnight Danny".

He smiled and nodded. All of a sudden, he kissed my cheek gently. My heart started to pound.

"Goodnight too", he grinned and walked to his room, his slippers still squeaking.

I opened the door to my room and began lying on my bed. I pulled the blankets over me, closed my eyes, and finally drifted off to sleep.

I began to toss in my sleep. I was having such an awful dream.

I dreamt that Laura was actually m long-lost sister. She moved in with us. My parents started to like her more than me, even Kristoph  
liked her more!

To make the dream even worse, I learned that I was engaged to a boy when I was a kid!

I was sitting in our living room back at home, waiting anxiously for my fiancé. I hoped he was at least decent enough.

The door swung open, revealing my parents who were beaming. Maybe my fiancé was a swell guy.

"Darling, here's the boy", Dad grinned at me.

"Yes. He's absolutely charming", my mom added.

I smiled a bit. Maybe this wasn't such a worst case scenario after all.

All that hope vanished though when I saw the guy. The color drained from my face. Happiness was sucked out of me.

Oh my gosh! It was David Kirkby!! No!! Yuck!!

I started to cry. "M-mom! No! Please! I beg of you! Anyone but him!"

My parents only laughed. In fact, it sounded more of an evil cackle.

"Come on. Stop crying. You'll learn to like him", Dad said.

"Yes Anthea. Give him a chance", Mom agreed.

I shook my head violently and started to wail "No! No! No!"

I was only dreaming, but it felt so real. I was actually waling while asleep now. I wasn't awake from my dream yet. It was a wonder why my roomies weren't woken up from my constant and boisterous wails. It was early in the morning, and little rays of light were passing through the windows.

The door to my room suddenly creaked open. Someone heard me crying. The person went inside my room.

It was Danny.

He went to the bathroom to wash his face but then he heard me crying. He decided to go check on me.

He looked at me with a worried expression on his face. He saw tears streaming down my cheeks. I was also whispering "No… No… No…"

"Aw Anthea. It breaks my heart to see you like this", he whispered.

He sat on my bed, a few inches away from me. He wiped the tears from my face gently with his finger. I moved a bit, but I was still  
asleep.

Danny smiled a bit. He suddenly bent his head and kissed my forehead.

"It's okay. I'm here. You shouldn't cry anymore", he whispered to my ear. He also began to stroke my hair tenderly.

In my dream, I was still wailing. I can't believe this! Why David Kirkby?? I'd rather marry a warty toad!

All of a sudden, everything evaporated. I was all alone now.

I also noticed that the scene had changed. It was night, and I was walking down the streets of Paris. I was in this gorgeous black  
dress.

Sweet music was playing and the lights made the city of romance look even more romantic.

Suddenly, someone held my hand.

I whirled around and saw Danny in a suit. He looked undeniably handsome. He was holding a fragrant bouquet of roses in his hands.

He was smiling at me. "Why were you crying a while ago?"

I smiled shyly at him. "I dreamt that I got engaged to David Kirkby".

He suddenly laughed, a wonderful trill to his voice. "Oh. No wonder. I'd probably jump off a cliff".

I chuckled. He suddenly locked me in a sweet embrace. I looked at him, my whole body melting inside. His blue eyes looked even more  
charming now, as if light was dancing in them.

"Well. You shouldn't cry. I'm here. It's okay. You shouldn't cry anymore", he whispered to me.

Unfortunately, my dream ended there. I was happy though, my nightmare turned into such a sweet ending with Danny.

I finally opened my eyes. I blinked twice, trying to shake off the drowsiness from my system. The sun was shining now, but it still  
looked early.

I rolled my other side and saw a pair of legs.

I screamed and fell down from my bed as I panicked. My back immediately hit the floor.

I groaned. "Ow… Ow… Ow…"

"Anthea! I'm so sorry!" Danny apologized as he approached me.

I rubbed my back. "Oh. It's okay Danny. I was just surprised".

He bent down and began rubbing my back as well. "You sure?"

I stretched. My back didn't hurt so much now. "Yup Danny. I'm fine".

I smiled. Even after falling off my bed and landing on my back, this was still a great morning for me. I saw Danny after all. By the way, why was here?

"Danny, I'm not being rude, okay? But… um… Why are you in our room?" I asked him.

"Oh. I heard you crying. You were having a really bad dream", he replied.

I gasped. I was actually wailing?

Well, when Laura was your long-lost sister and David was your fiancé, who wouldn't end up in tears?

"Really? Yeah. I did have a bad dream. Was I that noisy?" I asked him.

He nodded and smiled. "Yup. You were really crying you know. I was worried".

"Aw… Well, it was really bad", I replied, shuddering as I recalled the dream.

"Fair enough. You were smiling in the end though. So it turned out okay?"

I replayed the last scene in my mind. "Yeah. Someone made it all better".

I smiled. It was Danny.

He grinned. "That's great. Let me help you get up". He held out his hand for me to grab.

I took it and stood up. "Thanks Danny".

I smoothed the creases on my pajamas. I grabbed a brush on a small table and began brushing my hair.

"By the way, what time is it?" I asked him.

He checked his watch. "It's eight o'clock. They're having breakfast already".

No one was in our room now. I guess they all were downstairs eating breakfast.

I smiled at Danny. "Let's go eat".

We rushed downstairs. The smell of omelette and pancakes reached my nose. Harry could really whip up a delicious breakfast.

We reached the dining table. Everyone was still in their pajamas. Dougie looked exceptionally sleepy. He could barely keep his eyes  
open when he was sitting on the chair, a hand propped under his chin. I'm guessing that Jessica forced him to wake up.

He began to look livelier though when Jessica placed a stack of pancakes in front of him. She began slicing it and started shoving it into his mouth. However, the pancake accidentally went straight to his nose, smothering it with butter.

Dougie only laughed as Jessica apologized and began wiping the butter with tissue. They looked so cute.

Harry was sitting beside Pamela. The two were having a friendly conversation and Pamela kept on laughing.

Evangeline and Nicole were playing with a small chess board. It didn't seem fair. Evangeline was psychic for Pete's sake. I chuckled.

Jenny and Tyrone were also busy talking with each other. Tom was on his phone again, talking with his father.

We entered the room. Everyone greeted us a good morning as we went inside.

We took a couple of pancakes, some omelette and a glass of grape juice. We sat down.

"So, what did you dream about?" Danny asked me as we began eating.

"First of all, Laura was actually my long-lost sister", I replied.

Danny made a face. "Oh. No wonder. I'd probably jump into the Grand Canyon if that happened".

"The worse part was David getting engaged to me".

Danny shuddered. "No wonder. I understand now why you were crying so much".

Suddenly, the phone in his pocket rang. He looked at it. His eyes widened and he ended the call.

"What was that about Danny?" I asked him, noticing his reaction.

"Speaking of the devil, Laura just called. I don't want to talk to her", he replied.

I snorted. "She's still calling you?"

"Yeah. Like saying 'I love you'. Ugh. It makes me sick.

Geez. This Laura was seriously starting to tick me off. She'd better stay away from Danny before I rip the hair from that incredibly  
inflated head of hers.

After eating, we changed. We were at the living room now. We were waiting for Matt, Charlie and James to come.

"Jessica! I'm so excited!" I gushed to Jessica.

Her eyes sparkled. "I know! I can't believe it!"

The clock ticked as the seconds passed by. It was quarter to nine now.

"Jenny, how do you know James?" Pamela suddenly asked Jenny.

We all turned to listen.

Jenny turned pink. "Well, we were childhood sweethearts actually".

Everyone went "Ooh!"

"Really?" Harry asked her.

She nodded. "Yup. We were very close. It was only for a few years though."

"So, why aren't you guys together? No offense Tyrone", Dougie smiled to Tyrone.

"None taken", Tyrone smiled.

"Well, he had to move. So we just parted. And we had a little fight. That's why. But we're good friends now", Jenny replied.

"Oh. I see", Nicole nodded.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Jessica and I screamed a bit. Tom rose up to answer the door.

He opened it, and James, Charlie and Matt entered. All were grinning as they saw us.

"Let's go", James said, smiling.

We all went inside the limousine that was parked outside the mansion. Jessica and I kept on grinning at each other. I can't wait to start  
the trip with them. I chatted a bit with Matt while the limousine drove on the streets of Paris.

He was really cool. I really liked him. He told me a story that he once had a crush on his dance teacher. That's why they wrote the song 'What I Go To School For'. I laughed when I heard that.

Charlie was really great too. He kept on cracking jokes.

James was charming. He got along so well with people. He got along great with Tom, Dougie, Harry and Danny. It's like they already  
knew each other. I also noticed how close he and Jenny were, and how much he missed her.

It was obvious by the way he talked to her that he sorely missed her. He was always gentle with her and kept on being lively.

'I hope they stay that way', I thought to myself. It was a sweet sight after all.


	45. Chapter 45

CHAPTER 45 (BUSTED'S PARADISE)

"Oh no. Oh no. I'm dying", Pamela said as she furiously punched the buttons on the game machine.

Nicole, on the other hand, was smiling confidently as she swiftly hit the buttons on the machine. "Sorry sister, you're going down".

"Nicole's… Obviously a game freak", James remarked, seemingly impressed.

"I know. Look at her go", Charlie added as he watched Nicole slowly crush Pamela's character with combos.

Matt looked really entertained. "Go Nicole. I'm a fan of yours now".

Nicole chuckled. Pamela only smiled. Though Pamela was losing, she didn't seem bitter. It's like she already  
expected it.

Finally, Nicole's character knocked Pamela's out cold. The words 'KO' appeared on the screen, declaring  
Nicole as the winner. Nicole looked happy. Pamela congratulated her sister. In fact, she was jumping around and  
hugging her.

"Oh my gosh! You beat me! You are so amazing Nicole!" she squealed.

Aw…. They were so sweet.

Nicole chuckled. "Aw… Thanks sis".

Harry groaned and Evangeline had a satisfied smile on her face.

"Cough it up", Evangeline said and held out her hand.

Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. He placed it in Evangeline's hand.

"Thank you", Evangeline replied, grinning widely.

I laughed. "Harry, you should know better than to bet against Evangeline".

Harry shrugged. "Hey, I had faith in Pamela".

Pamela gasped and looked touched. "Aw Harry! Really?"

"Of course. I always believed that you could do anything", he grinned at her.

Pamela hugged him tightly and gave a small peck to his cheek. "Aw… Thank you Harry!"

"They're sweet, aren't they?" Danny remarked.

"I know", I agreed.

We were at this huge arcade center called 'Gamer's Galaxy'. There were so many gaming machines.  
There were even shooting booths and basketball booths. It seems that James, Matt and Charlie loved it here. Plus, since they were here so often, the people were used to them. As if they'd find screaming girl fans here. Majority of the people here were boys anyway, so they couldn't possibly get mobbed. I don't mind. This place looked so cool.

Danny and I already agreed with each other that we'd try a racing game.

Nicole sat down again on the chair, and placed a token in the slot. She began selecting her character.

"So, who wants to play with me?" she asked, looking at us expectantly.

"No way", we all replied.

"Aw… Come on", she insisted.

"I don't want to get my butt whooped, especially by you", Dougie grinned at her.

Nicole kept on asking us but no one dared. She was too good. Even the guys wouldn't take her on.

Suddenly, a stranger behind us heard what we were talking about. He said "I'll take you on".

We all turned our heads to the fool who tried to challenge her. Is he out of his mind?

The guy had brown hair which was neatly parted. He kind of looked like one of the Beatles. He was wearing a black jacket over his green shirt. His blue eyes were charming. I had to admit, he did look pretty cute.

Then I looked at Danny and smiled to myself.

But Danny's way cuter.

"Thanks. I'm glad someone tried. What's your name?" she asked him.

"Oh. I'm Aaron", he replied, grinning at her. He kept on glancing at Nicole from time to time. If I didn't  
know better I'd say he took on Nicole to impress her. He looked like he was interested in her.

Aaron slid a token into the machine and began choosing his character as well.

The fight began to start. We all watched intently. Harry and Matt were rooting for Nicole.

Nicole was doing perfectly fine. She was beating up the guy's character, dealing him massive blows one  
after the other. The guy's health points were practically half now. Nicole smiled confidently,

Suddenly, the guy began to hustle and delivered amazing hits. He threw combo after combo at her. Now  
her life was about one-fourth.

Whoa! This guy was good!

Finally, Aaron pulverized her. Nicole lost. We all looked stumped. Was this possible?

Nicole frowned. She apparently didn't look so happy. She rose up from her seat abruptly.

"Excuse me… Um… I need to get a drink", she said briskly and walked away.

Ooh. Poor guy.

Aaron stood up but Nicole was already gone. "W-wait a sec! Oh man. I was supposed to impress her, not  
depress her".

Aha. My hunch was right. He was trying to get her attention.

"Don't worry. My sister's like that. She handled her disappointment well though. Before, she'd really throw a fit. You don't need to worry", Pamela assured him.

"Oh. Thanks. I hope she'll feel better later though", he said.

"Don't worry. She will".

"Wait! You're Busted!!"

Matt, Charlie and James grinned.

"Yup", Matt replied.

"Can I get your autograph? I'm huge fan!" Aaron exclaimed and took out a notepad and ball pen from his  
pocket.

The three nodded and willingly accepted his request.

Danny suddenly tapped my shoulder. "You wanna race against me now?"

I nodded. "Sure Danny".

We looked for a game machine that was unoccupied. We spied one and sat there. We placed a token into  
the machine and started racing.

"I'm gonna beat you Danny", I grinned.

"Not if I beat you first", he replied.

I was turning the wheel really hard, keeping a firm grip on it. Danny and I were really battling it out now. I  
wasn't about to lose to him. Obviously, he wasn't about to lose to me as well.

The race was getting very tense now. Danny and I were so close to the finish line. I smiled, confident  
that I could beat him.

I twisted the wheel very forcefully and…

CRACK!

The wheel came off. I looked at what I did, absolutely dumbstruck.

Danny saw what I did. He burst into laughter.

I was still gaping at the wheel that I managed to rip off the machine. I tried putting it back, but all my  
efforts were in vain. Danny even won the race and my car spun out of control.

I sighed and laughed as well. Danny couldn't stop laughing. In fact, tears were streaming down his cheeks  
now. He began wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Eventually, a security guard noticed what happened and approached us. I thought he was going to scold  
me, but he only laughed. This was pretty unusual. He told us not to worry about it and that he'd fix it in a jiffy.

I thanked him. Whew. I got off easy.

Danny and I decided to roam around a bit. I'm avoiding gaming machines for the moment. I might break  
them.

He was still laughing. "You're so cute you know".

I blushed a bit and laughed. "Aw… Thanks I guess".

I spotted Nicole and Aaron together. Nicole seemed to be in a better mood. She was smiling again as  
Aaron handed her an ice cream cone. Aw… they looked sweet.

Danny suddenly tugged on my shirt. "Hey let's try that".

He pointed to a toy-grabbing machine; the type where you use a joystick to grab a toy from inside the  
case.

I have never grabbed a toy in those machines. It was just so hard. Well, for me it was hard.

I followed Danny as he went near one machine. I scanned the toys inside. In saw one stuffed toy that  
was cute. It was a pony.

"That stuffed toy's pretty cute", I smiled, pointing at it.

"Oh really?" Danny asked as he slid a token into the machine.

I nodded. "Yup. It's super cute".

The machine began to whir into life. Danny began moving the joystick carefully, concentrating very hard. The hand inside was moving to the right. Danny slowly lowered it down. The hand finally had a firm hold on the pony stuffed toy. He pressed the button and the hand grabbed the toy.

"Whoa Danny. I can never do that", I told him. I was really impressed. That was something that I had  
never achieved before.

He smiled. He carefully controlled the hand again and dropped the stuffed toy into the hole.

The prize came out of the machine and he grabbed it.

"Wow. That was amazing Danny! Really", I remarked as he clutched the prize.

"Nah. Not really. I've been doing this for years. You should see Tom. He's amazing", he replied.

"So, who's the gift for?"

"Well, it's actually for you. I got it especially for you".

He grinned as he gave me the toy. My heart nearly stopped beating. This was so sweet. Plus the  
words 'especially for you' managed to excite my whole body.

"Danny, thank you! This is so sweet!" I exclaimed enthusiastically as I hugged the stuffed toy.

"Well, I like seeing you happy", he replied.

My heart really pounded now. He was such a dear!

"Really, thank you so much", I grinned at him.

He chuckled. "Sure thing".

We decided to go back to the rest of the gang. I saw Evangeline and Harry playing a shooting game.  
They were really good. A crowd of people were watching the two fire shot after shot. Pamela and Nicole were cheering for them, with Aaron by their side.

I saw Jenny and Tyrone play 'Soul Calibur'. Tyrone was good, and so was Jenny.

I also saw Jessica and Dougie playing basketball. They were shooting the balls into the hoops. Dougie  
was definitely winning. I chuckled. Jessica doesn't know how to play basketball.

"Wait. Jessica can't play basketball right?" Danny said.

I nodded. "She sure can't. But she does try".

"Jessica!" I called to her.

She looked up and grinned. "I don't know how to play okay? But it doesn't mean that I can't".

I chuckled. "You go Jessica".

I scanned the place for the rest of our mates. James and Matt were busy shooting zombies. Tom and  
Charlie were already playing on a dancing machine. Man, they could really step their feet on the arrow pads.

"Big brother! Where are you?" a tiny voice suddenly called out.

I turned to its direction and saw a small blond girl wearing a tutu and leotards. She looked so cute. Her  
curly locks bounced and her eyes were sky blue. She looked lost, and searching for her big brother. Poor kid. Maybe I should help her.

She looked at Danny. "Danny! You're here?"

She ran towards Danny.

Danny smiled. "Hey Coleen. What're you doing here?" He scooped the tiny creature into his arms.

"I'm looking for my big brother. My mom said that I needed to spend more time with him. Besides, I miss  
him", she smiled.

"Your big brother's over there. He's with his girlfriend", he pointed towards the direction of Jessica and  
Dougie.

Oh yeah. Now that I thought about it, Dougie did mention something about a little sister. So this was his little  
sister.

Coleen nodded. "Thanks. You can put me down now".

He obeyed and gently lowered her down. She immediately hopped off his arms and ran towards Dougie.  
She hugged him from the back.

Dougie looked shocked and turned to see who hugged him. He smiled when he saw that it was Coleen.

"Coleen, what are you doing here squirt?" he asked playfully as he hugged her.

"Mom's busy with work. She needed to take care of stuff", she replied.

"What? She's still working? I thought you two were on vacation".

Coleen shrugged her tiny shoulders. "I though so too but I guess there was an emergency".

Dougie nodded. I guess this was usual.

Coleen turned to her right and smiled at Jessica. "Hey Jessica! Thanks for playing dress-up with me two  
weeks ago. I'm sorry I got make-up on your shirt though".

Jessica only smiled and patted the child's head gently. "Nah. It's okay. Being a professional make-up  
artist is hard. But I know you'll get there".

Coleen giggled. Aw… she was absolutely adorable.

"Anyway, why's Coleen here?" I asked Danny.

"Oh. She's been sent here by her school for a ballet recital. She's very good you know".

"Cool. That's amazing! Does Dougie do ballet as well?"

He snorted. "The guy would rather get trapped in a cave than wear tights".

I laughed. Aw… Too bad.

Suddenly, somebody tapped my shoulder. I turned around and saw that it was James. Charlie and Matt  
were just behind him.

"Hey, you guys done now?" I asked James.

"Yup. We're okay now. All we have to do is—", James started to reply when he was cut off by a piercing scream.

I searched for the source of the glass-shattering scream. I found out that it came from Coleen.

Coleen was hopping now, looking so excited that her little body could barely contain her excitement.

"It's Busted!!! They're here!!! Oh my goodyness!!!" she squealed and ran towards James, Matt and Charlie.

The three could only chuckle as she came rushing towards them. She immediately hugged Charlie as she  
got to them.

"I like you the best Charlie!!" she practically screeched as she hugged Charlie tighter.

Charlie looked like his air supply was running out. "Oof! Ah. Er… Thanks".

James and Matt snorted. Charlie rolled his eyes and grinned.

"Can I get your autograph?? Can I?? Can I??" she asked, pulling a ballpen and notepad from her bag.

She finally let go of Charlie. Charlie looked relieved as he was finally released from Coleen's grip.

He bent down to Coleen's height and got the notepad and pen. He started signing it.

"Okay, so this is for whom?' he asked Coleen.

"It's for Princess Coleen", she grinned.

"Okay", he wrote that down.

"Of the Wonderland", Coleen added.

"Uh… Okay. Of the Wonderland", Charlie followed.

"Where ponies roam around".

"Er… Where ponies roam around".

"And happy bunnies give out candy".

"Okaay. I got that".

Danny and I snorted. Well, Charlie had to comply. Dougie's little sister was so demanding.

Charlie finally finished scribbling down all of those and handed back Coleen's notepad. She squealed  
when she received it and proceeded to have it signed by Matt and James as well.

She looked so happy when the two finished signing it. She ran back to Dougie.

"Oh. Big brother. I nearly forgot. Can you drive me to my ballet recital today?" she requested Dougie.

Dougie shrugged. "Sure. What time is it anyway?"

"It's at twelve o'clock today".

"Sure. I think it's still…"

He was cut off when he looked at his watch. His eyes widened.

"Coleen!! That's thirty minutes away!!" he panicked.

"Jeez. We can get there. Come on, I need to go", she replied.

Dougie looked outraged. "Coleen! You can't expect me to get you there on time! Where's the place anyway?"

"Oh… At this fancy hall… Um… What's it called again?"

"What?!? You don't know the place?? Coleen!!"

"Ow!! Stop yelling. It hurts my ears you know. I'm sorry. I totally forgot".

"Jeez Coleen. I can't believe you. You expect people to just give you what you want. I'm not a wizard for  
crying out loud!"

"But big brother! Okay! I'm sorry. But I really need to go. Can't you figure it out?"

"I'm sorry. I don't even know the place".

Suddenly, Dougie's phone rang. He immediately answered it. "Hello? Oh mom. Why are you crying?"

Coleen suddenly winced and hid behind Charlie. What is up with her?

"What? She snuck out of the hotel?" Dougie asked, surprised.

I exchanged looks with Danny. So that's why Coleen looked guilty.

"Mom, it's okay now. She's here. I'm with her. She's not hurt or anything. She's fine. Mom, where's her ballet recital supposed to be?" Dougie said.

He listened for his mom's reply. He nodded and ended the call.

"Coleen, you have a lot of explaining to do. But I have to get you to your ballet recital first. It's in the  
Sanford School of Ballet", Dougie announced.

"Oh. That place's not too far from here. About… a 25-minute drive", James replied.

"Oh man. But there's only twenty minutes left!" Dougie said, a worried expression on his face.

"Hm… I think our driver can do that. He used to be a race car driver you know", Matt said.

"Well, let's go anyway. We can't waste any time. Nicole and the rest are here. Charlie, tell them to come  
now", James told Charlie.

Charlie proceeded to tell Nicole and the rest.

Coleen was starting to cry. She kept on wiping her tears with the back of her hand..

"I-I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it… I'm such a brat", she choked.

Dougie bent down and patted her head. "It's okay Coleen. Don't do it next time, okay?"

She nodded and began rubbing her eyes. "O-okay".

Dougie began cradling her in his arms gently. Charlie and the rest were coming now. "Let's go Coleen".

We all hopped into the limousine.

"Terry, drive fast", James requested the driver in front.

The man smiled. "Sure thing. It's been years since I've driven fast".


	46. Chapter 46

CHAPTER 46 (CONFESSION 2)

We finally got out of the limousine. I could feel my whole world spinning and I felt like I couldn't keep my balance anymore.

The driver was like a speed devil! His turns were abrupt and quick. His driving speed was… Well… Out of this world. My body felt like it was being pulled in different directions, just like taffy. I seriously thought that the car would eventually swivel out of control.

James, Matt and Charlie looked like they were used to such demonic driving though. They were all wearing disguises.

We walked towards the school. I was still feeling dizzy. James thanked Terry and walked with us.

I had a hard time walking and my feet kind of twisted at times. I felt like I could go cross-eyed.

I walked for a bit, but then I lost balance and eventually slipped.

Luckily, a pair of hands caught me. "Oof! Oh. Thanks!" I said dizzily.

Thank God someone caught me. I looked up to see who managed to stop me from falling.

Oh my. It was Danny.

My cheeks flushed. He was always saving me from my accidents. Sometimes, he was even getting hurt in the process.

He was grinning at me. Gosh I felt my cheeks flush even more and my heart going thump against my chest.

"Hey take it easy. We wouldn't want you getting hurt, okay?" he smiled at me.

I nodded, my heart still pounding. "Th-thanks Danny".

He finally let go of me. I tried being more careful now. I could walk better now. But somehow, I felt even dizzier.

I was practically staring at the surroundings. There were huge rows of trees along the road and the main building was monumental.  
Beautiful flowers were abundant in the gardens and there were even fountains. This place was jaw-droppingly fabulous. This was a student's paradise.

"Coleen, do you know where the hall is?" Dougie asked Coleen as she trotted behind him.

Coleen looked around. "Um… Over there". She pointed to a hall to the far right.

Dougie nodded. "We still have time. About ten minutes".

We rushed towards the hall. Terry got here in about ten minutes. Well, judging by the speed it was inevitable that we would arrive early.

We were seated inside the hall. It was nearly full as more people entered the place. It was very big, and the stage was big as well. The red curtains onstage were still closed.

Dougie was at the backstage, checking if Coleen's recital was about to go well.

A woman began giving out playbills. I flipped one open and grinned when I saw the title of the play.

"Danny, look. They're about to play 'Snow White'" I grinned to Danny.

Snow White has been one of my favorite stories. For me, it meant more than just a princess waiting for her Prince to come. It meant  
waiting for true love. That's why I loved the story. Plus, I thought that the Seven Dwarves were cute. For some odd, inexplicable reason, I always favored Grumpy above the rest.

He took a look at the playbill as well. "Whoa. That's nice".

"You know. I've always wanted to be Snow White".

"Oh? How come?"

"I don't know. I just find the story really sweet you know. Plus, isn't it so romantic? I mean, really waiting for the time that the one  
you love will really come. It's just really nice you know".

Danny chuckled. "I feel the exact same way".

"Really Danny?"

"Yeah. For me, it's all right to wait. I mean, it's 'better late than never' right? Well, I guess the better saying's better never late. But  
still. I just think there's a moment for everything".

I smiled. Yeah. There always was. And I couldn't help but look forward to the day that I'd finally tell Danny how I felt about him.

"Yeah Danny. There's no need to rush".

The lights began to dim down. The play was probably about to start. I was excited to watch.

Hm… All that waiting bit in Snow White made an idea pop into my mind. I looked at Danny.

"Danny, about that girl that you like, have you told her how you feel?" I asked him. After all, he's probably been waiting for so many  
months.

It's alright if it wasn't me though.

Danny chuckled. "Actually, I haven't told her yet".

"Oh? You're pulling my leg".

"No. Seriously. I haven't told her".

"Have you tried?"

"Yeah I have. But there were… Er… Certain interruptions."

"Aw Danny…"

"But I really will tell her you know. I've been bottling up these feelings for a while".

I chuckled. "It's not just a while Danny. It's been ages".

"Yeah. I guess so. I'll try again though".

"When are you gonna tell her then?"

There was a momentary pause, and a smile stretched across his face.

"Soon. Very soon", he replied.

I had a new found respect for Danny after having this conversation. He wasn't like most guys who got all flirty with girls. He takes  
his time and waits for the right moment. He charms a girl through his wonderful personality and sincerity.

The girl was so lucky. I'm hoping that it's me… But then, I shouldn't have hopes that are too high. Even if I'm not the girl. Besides,  
he might like a girl who was really posh, model pretty and highly intelligent.

Then again, I'm not going down without a fight. If the girl doesn't turn out to be such a good girl, I am definitely intervening. I don't want Danny to get hurt.

A woman with a hook-shaped nose and short brown hair walked up to the podium on the left wing of the stage. A spotlight was focused on her.

"Hello everyone. It is an honor to have you all here to witness the 15th Children Ballet here in Paris. Children all over the world are going to dazzle you with their graceful moves and smooth precision of movements. So sit back and relax. The play will start in a few minutes", she announced and smiled.

Suddenly, someone popped out from the right wing. She began whispering something to the woman. The woman's smile immediately evaporated and she hurried backstage.

That was weird. It seems that chaos has stirred up.

"Jessica, what's up with that?" I asked Jessica who was just beside me.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I have no clue as well".

We heard some noise from backstage. The audience was starting to look confused.

I looked to my right. I saw Evangeline looking dazed. It must be another vision.

"Evangeline, you okay?" I asked her.

She snapped back into reality. "I'm fine… I think you, Danny, Charlie, Matt and James need to go backstage", she replied.

I looked at her, a puzzled expression on her face. "How come?"

"Trust me. I think they need you guys desperately".

She was right though when Coleen suddenly ran to the front of the stage and walked to the podium. She lowered the microphone.

"Um… James, Charlie, Matt, Danny and Anthea? Can you go here backstage?" she requested.

Danny looked surprised but nevertheless stood up. "Come on Anthea. I really think they need us".

I nodded and followed him as well. James, Charlie and Matt seemed to have stood up as well. We went to the backstage and a  
woman gave us directions.

Hm… I wonder what this request was.

"This costume's freakin' itchy!" Matt complained as he scratched his back.

James chuckled at him. "What? You think you're the only one? I feel like ants are crawling all over me".

"Come on guys. This won't take much time. We'll only be onstage for a bit", Charlie reasoned out.

James pouted. "Still. I wish I could burn this costume! Darn it".

Danny and I were red now. We were trying to contain our laughter. However, the three looked so funny. I don't think I can keep this  
up anymore.

I was the one who gave in first. I finally burst into laughter. Danny followed, losing all control. We were howling with laughter.

The three rolled their eyes at us. We grinned widely at them.

So this was the request. Those who were supposed to play as Snow White's animals couldn't come today. There was a little accident  
along the road. So, these three filled in their parts. And guess what? They were rabbits.

So, you basically can't blame us for laughing so hard. I mean, who wouldn't?

Danny and I were waiting for our costumes. We guessed that we were going to be animals as well.

I looked at the three again, a smile on my face. Their rabbit costumes were so cute! Especially the ears! I giggled. But their costumes  
sure looked itchy. Matt was really scratching his back.

A girl with blond hair came into the backstage. She was holding a prince and princess costume.

It must be for Snow White and her Prince, obviously. Where were our animal costumes though?

To my surprise, she approached Danny and me. She was grinning at us, appearing very relieved. "Hey, thanks for filling in for Snow  
White and her Prince. We owe you one. Come on. Put these on".

She gave the costumes to us.

What? We were the main cast?

I stared at my costume and sighed. Oh well. There wasn't anything we could do, and they did need our help.

"Break a leg guys. You'll need luck. Kate Waldorf's here", the girl said.

"What?? Kate Waldorf?? What's she doing here?" I asked.

This was big. No. Gigantic. Kate Waldorf was a famous French teenage actress. She's got tons of movies for crying out loud. But  
what's she doing here?

"Well, she used to go to school here. Plus, she's a ballerina. So she loves ballet and she loves the performances here", the girl  
explained.

"Oh. I see", Danny nodded.

"Anyway, please get changed okay? I'm sure you could do well. The script's there. It's sure and you can ad lib", the girl said and  
walked away.

For some reason, Matt and James were grinning widely at Charlie.

"Hear that Charlie?" James smiled.

"Yeah. Kate Waldorf's here. Isn't that nice?" Matt snickered.

Charlie slapped the back of their heads. He was blushing furiously.

James and Matt only howled with laughter.

Danny laughed. "Charlie, do you have a crush on Kate Walfdorf or something?"

Charlie shook his head violently. Though he was denying it, it was obvious that his flushed face told quite the opposite. "N-no. Yeah  
she's cool. But she's… Er… Not my type".

Matt snorted. "Oh yeah? Then how do you explain all those posters of her in your room? I swear, her face is like your room's  
wallpaper".

James gave a high-five to Matt and chuckled. "I know! Even your laptop's full of her pictures".

Charlie flashed them a dumbstruck expression. "What?? How the heck did you see those? My laptop has a password!"

Matt grinned. "Sorry dude. We hacked it. It only took us an hour anyway".

Charlie groaned and buried his face into his hands.

I chuckled. "Aw Charlie. It's okay. I understand fans who are obsessed as you. I won't leak it to the press".

"Yeah. Our lips are sealed", Danny added.

James and Matt groaned.

"Aw… Why'd you have to be so nice?" Matt pouted.

"Yeah. You could've blackmailed him instead", James agreed.

Charlie laughed. "They're good people. That's why. Anyway, why don't you change now? The play's about to start".

I felt like a stone suddenly dropped on my head. 'Oh yeah. Let's go".

I hastily grabbed my costume and rushed to the dressing room. Whew. Thank goodness this costume was easy to put on. I fixed my  
hair and placed a red headband on my head. Well, I think I look alright now. I wondered how Danny might look.

I imagined him in a suit. As always, he'd look gorgeous. I giggled.

I folded my clothes, placed them in my bag and walked out the dressing room.

This is it. I hope I don't screw this up. After all, a celebrity was watching.

"Okay. Is everyone ready? Hey, you. Stop talking and listen to me. I'm sure you all know your lines?" a woman with platinum blond hair and horn-rimmed glasses asked. Apparently, she looked like the director of this presentation.

"Yes", everyone said in chorus.

She nodded. "Good. Good. Now… Um… Snow White? You can make your own lines right? It doesn't have to be what's in the script. I  
mean, you've just arrived here and I can't possibly expect you to get everything. You know the story right dear?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes. I have no problem with that".

She nodded, her glasses slowly slipping from her nose. She pushed it back with her pointer finger. She began inspecting the other  
cast.

To be honest, I didn't feel so good. I must be getting pre-play jitters. Okay. Calm down. Everything's going to go smoothly. You don't  
have to worry.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was still shaking a bit.

Suddenly a pair of arms placed themselves on my shoulders. I turned around and saw Danny.

Gosh he looked handsome in the Prince suit. His hair was neatly fixed. I could see his blue eyes shimmer. My heart skipped a beat again.

"Hey, you're shaking", he asked, a small smile on his face.

"Er… Yeah. I'm nervous", I replied, laughing nervously. My hands were still shaking.

Oh who am I kidding? I'm a nervous wreck right now! I mean, I can't even stop myself from shaking!

Danny laughed. "Anthea, don't be nervous. Love what you do. That's the best way to get rid of the nerves".

I thought about it. Acting was something that I definitely loved.

I sighed. I've been an idiot. If it's something I love, why am I so nervous? I should enjoy what I do.

I nodded, finally calming down a bit. My hands stopped shaking and I didn't feel so clammy anymore.

"You're right. Thanks a lot", I smiled at him.

"No problem. Anyway, I'm here for you okay? I won't let anything bad happen to you", he assured me.

I turned pink. "Oh Danny. Thanks so much. I don't feel so nervous now because of you. Thanks for being here with me".

He looked touched and smiled back at me. I looked into his eyes. There was that different look again. That's the look that made me feel so secure inside.

All of a sudden, he placed his right hand on my cheek. My whole body felt like it erupted, and lava and ashes were spewing all over the  
place.

Danny looked at me with such an intense gaze. "Anthea, I've been meaning to tell you something for a long time. I just couldn't find  
the right time, you know. And there were a lot of interruptions. But… I think I can tell you now".

His body suddenly inched closer to mine. His hand was still on my cheek. My heart raced even faster.

I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Maybe it was better if I remained silent.

"Well Anthea. You're really the girl that I've been going cra—", he said but a scream suddenly rang throughout the backstage,  
interrupting him.

Danny stopped, surprised by the interruption. Suddenly, a tiny blond-haired creature jumped on his back, placing its arms around his  
neck.

"Danny! You look so handsome!" the thing squealed.

It was actually Coleen. She was in her pink ballet costume already. Her hair was tied into two pigtails and flowers adorned her hair.

"Er… Hey Coleen", Danny greeted her. He looked… I don't know. Sort of disappointed?

He must be. He looked so serious a while ago. After all, he's made a lot of attempts.

"Sorry I screamed. Charlie just told me that I looked cute", she said happily and giggled.

Danny and I chuckled. Oh. No wonder she screamed.

"Hey Danny, do you think Charlie'll ask me out?" she giggled

Danny smiled. "Sure Coleen. He'll probably love that".

She smiled even more. "Thanks. Whoa. I'd better go now. The play's about to start".

She hopped off his back, landing nimbly on her feet. "Break a leg you guys".

The she ran off. She was right. We'd better get ready now.

But I still haven't heard what Danny was about to say to me, and I sure wanted to know.

"Danny, what were you about to tell me?" I asked him.

He looked like he was about to tell me, but then something seemed to stop him.

"I'll… Tell you later", he smiled gently.

"Oh. Okay. You promise?" I asked him.

He smiled and held up his pinky. "I promise".

I laughed and did the pinky swear with him. He was so cute. It simply melts my heart.

Suddenly, the woman with horn-rimmed glasses made a beeline for me.

"Snow White. We're starting now. get on stage now", she instructed me.

I took in a deep breath. Okay. This is it. I hope I do my part well. I hope I don't make a fool of myself in front of an actress.

Danny held my hand. I looked at him. He had such a comforting aura around him. "You'll do well. Besides, you look so pretty now.  
It's like you were born for the role. Don't worry. Love what you do".

I smiled, despite feeling nervous. He was right. "Thanks Danny. I'm fine now. Really. Thank you so much".

"Aw… Thanks so much. Well, you'd better go out there now".

I nodded. "Okay Danny. Break a leg".

I walked away, feeling much better than before. I didn't feel so nervous now, after having the little chat with him.

But then, I was still thinking about what he was about to say to me. He looked really serious.

Plus, the way he moved meant something. The way he placed his hand on my cheek and how he inched his body closer to mine…

I was finally onstage. Countless pairs of eyes were all focused on me. I wonder if Kate Waldorf was here now.

Okay. Focus. Danny would tell me later, right? So, I need to concentrate on my act now.

I saw Evangeline, Pamela, Harry, Tom, Nicole, Jenny and Tyrone wave at me from their seats below. I grinned.

Okay. I've got nothing to worry about now.

I watched little children in ballerina costumes dance gracefully as I sat on a stone prop. Their movements were totally amazing despite of their young age.

I finally spotted Coleen. It was easy, considering how bright her hair color was. She was in the middle, grinning widely. She moved so  
wonderfully.

I was kind of envious. I never did learn how to dance. I have poor bodily coordination. I'm going to try learning it though.

Finally, the dance finished. Every girl exited, except for Coleen. Wow. She must have a few lines.

"And so, Snow White wasn't lost anymore. She managed to go to the cottage of the Seven Dwarves and made friends with all the  
animals", she recited and trotted away.

I rose from the stone prop, my back erect. Suddenly, James, Matt and Charlie appeared with their goofy rabbit costumes.

I felt like suffocating. I seriously wanted to laugh at the three, but I had to hold it in.

"Hey Snow White! Er… What's up?" James asked.

I stared at him, a horrified expression on my face. He wasn't supposed to be friendly! He was a meek animal creature for heaven's sake!

"Hey Charlie, Kate Waldorf's here", Matt said, a little too loudly so that it echoed throughout the hall.

The audience burst into laughter. I spotted Kate Waldorf from the crowd. Thankfully, she was laughing as well. She even looked  
entertained.

Charlie was red now. "Aw… Stop it! Anyway, Snow White, we'll help you get to the cottage".

I nodded. "Lead the way, woodland creatures".

We walked to the right of the stage towards a small cottage.

"Charlie, when are you going to remove all of those Kate Waldorf posters from your room?" James asked.

Charlie slapped his head. The crowd laughed even more.

I giggled a bit. These guys are so hilarious. I'll run out of air supply soon if I keep on hanging out with them.

We went to the cottage and proceeded with the play. Luckily, there were no more unnecessary comments from the three. I could  
finally focus on what I was supposed to do.

My eyes were closed as I was lying on a coffin in the center of the stage.

Whoa. So this is how it feels like being inside one. It kind of feels creepy.

Ballet music reached my ears again. The ballerinas danced around me, throwing flowers and singing.

We were at the end of the play now. I've already bitten the poisonous apple, and I'm supposed to be in eternal slumber.

Until my Prince comes though.

I smiled a bit to myself. I was about to see Danny. I was excited for the moment that he would come out.

The song ended, and the wonderful ballerinas exited the stage.

The lights went out once more. A spotlight shone and focused on someone as the person emerged from the right wing of the stage.

The person spoke. My heart began to pound again.

It was Danny.

"My, my. So this is the place where a fair maiden has been sleeping", he recited.

I heard a few girls from the audience squeal.

Danny walked closer to me; I could finally see him from the place where he was.

"Here's the fair maiden. She is quite beautiful. Hair as dark as night, lips as red as blood and skin as white as the falling snow. She's  
asleep though. Still, I feel that she is the one", he said dramatically and even stroked my hair. I nearly squealed. My cheeks were on fire again.

Even though he was acting, I couldn't shake off the feeling that what he was saying was true. It's a small distinction, but it didn't  
feel like it was just mere acting. Something about his words rang true. Plus, the way he expressed himself sent shivers through my body.

He bent over me, a few inches away from my face. I felt so tense now. I can't believe how nervous he made me.

"Maybe a kiss will wake her from this slumber", he said and kissed my cheek gently.

Now I was really burning up. His kiss on my cheek was so tender and gentle, it freaks me out.

However, what he whispered to my ear was even more shocking.

"Anthea, I'm glad I can finally tell you what I've always wanted you to know", he said gently, low enough for only me to hear.

I saw him smile the sweetest smile he's ever had on his face.

"Anthea, I'm in love with you", he whispered.

I felt like the whole world suddenly crashed down. I couldn't feel the coffin anymore either. I was just too stunned.

Was this true? Was I dreaming? Was this just a prank?

My eyes widened and I was so speechless. My heart felt like a car driving at the speed light.

Danny must've noticed my expression because he suddenly laughed a bit.

"I know the timing's kind of off, but I was afraid I'd never get another chance. And no, this is not a dream or a prank. I really am in love  
with you. I've loved you for so long. You've always been the girl that I've been talking about", he whispered again.

I couldn't move a muscle. I was still letting the words sink in. I just couldn't believe it.

"Anthea, er… Your lines please?" Danny whispered.

I finally snapped back into reality. Oh yeah! I nearly forgot about the play!

Why did I get so daze? Kate Waldorf's watching for Pete's sake!

I slowly rose up, trying my best to hide my shock, and the fact that I was shaking now.

"My dear Prince, you have awakened me from my slumber. You really are my true love", I recited, my voice slightly shaking.

He smiled and held my hand. "Shall we go, fair Princess?"

I took his hand slowly and hopped off the coffin. My hands were still shaking a bit. In fact, they were a bit clammy.

Music began to fill the hall again. This signaled the ending part of the play.

The ballerinas came out again with baskets filled with petals. They threw the petals while dancing.

"What a glorious day!" Matt suddenly said.

Danny and I turned to look at him. He was with James and Charlie. They suddenly emerged from the left wing, with their rabbit  
costumes once again.

I nearly laughed, but I fortunately managed to contain my laughter. I can't just let it out now when the play was going so smoothly.

That was the first thing that calmed my nerves. I felt better now. I looked at Danny, he winked back.

I felt so happy now. I never expected that this would ever happen. Even if I was hoping for a moment like this. I can't believe it. My  
joy was overflowing.

If Danny told me his feelings, I should definitely let him know that I felt the same way.

"The Princess is awake! Thanks to you. Thank you", James grinned at Danny.

Aw… He looked so cute in the rabbit costume. I should take a picture of them.

"So, you going somewhere?" Charlie asked Danny.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Dear Princess, will you marry me and live with me in my kingdom? I will always love you and make you happy",  
he recited perfectly.

I smiled. "Yes dear Prince. I couldn't be more happy".

The narrator began to speak again: "And so, this tale ends as Snow White marries the Prince. And they lived happily ever after".

The audience stood up and clapped their hands.

We bowed and curtsied. I looked downwards and saw Nicole and the rest beaming at us. They looked so proud, and that made me feel  
good.

I heard Matt singing 'Crashed the Wedding', he was a bit close to the microphone. I grinned at him.

I turned to look at Danny, he was grinning widely. I still can't believe what he said.

Okay. I'm going to tell him now.

"Danny… About what you said…" I began to say.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I… I feel th—", I started to say when a girl from the audience screamed.

"Oh my gosh!! It's Matt Willis!!" she squealed.

Oh no. This can't be good.

The crowd fell silent, and then more girls screamed.

"OH MY GOSH!!! BUSTED!!!" they all screamed.

All of a sudden, the crazy fans invaded the stage. They all ran towards Matt, Charlie and James. The three panicked and tried evading the  
insane stampede.

Gosh they were so many! I was even being pushed by one fan.

"Get out of my way!!!" she yelled at me and pushed me.

"Ow!" I complained.

Disrespectful much? Jeez. But she kept on pushing me. All of a sudden, she pushed me so forcefully. I lost my balance and tripped. I saw  
Danny yelling "Anthea!' and running to catch me.

But then, my head hit the coffin hard. After that, everything went black.


	47. Chapter 47

CHAPTER 47 (A WALK WITH MATT)

My eyes finally opened. I was in a room with blue walls and some pictures of Matt, Charlie and James hung on the walls. I could see a guitar leaning on one corner. Where the heck was I?

My head still ached. Ow. I rubbed my forehead; a bandage was placed on it. Oh yeah. I hit the coffin when that deranged fan pushed me. Curse her.

I looked at the windows, there were thin streams of sunlight going through them, I figured it was early morning.

But first thing's first. Where on Earth did I end up?

Suddenly, the door swung open and Matt appeared carrying a tray full of pancakes and a glass of orange juice.

"Hey, good thing you're up. You're just in time for breakfast", he grinned at me.

I smiled at him. "Hey Matt. Good morning".

He sat down on the bed, "Is your head feeling any better?"

I nodded slowly. "It still aches a bit but I think I'm okay now".

"Oh. That's good".

I scanned the room. "Um… Matt? Where am I?"

"Oh. Don't you remember?"

"Well, I do remember hitting the coffin. Thanks to that insane fan. After that, everything just seems like a total blank".

"Ah… I see. Well, you're here at my house".

"Whoa! Really?"

He nodded. "Yup. Your head was bleeding a bit and my house was the nearest place. So we rushed you here. Plus my family's doctor was

here last night. So this was the perfect place".

I nodded. I see. That explains everything.

"Matt… Whose room is this? And… Why's there a Superman poster?" I asked as I pointed to a huge poster of Superman pinned to the

door.

He chuckled. "This is my room. As for Superman, I was a pretty huge fan when I was a kid. Actually, I still am a fan".

I laughed. "Matt, thanks for letting me stay here. Thank you so much. How'd you guys escape from that crazy stampede last night?"

"We just really ran. We ran until we reached our bodyguards who were standing outside the hall. They took care of them while we hopped into the limousine. Man girls can be scary".

I saw him shudder. Aw… Poor Matt. Those fans really were freaky.

"What about Charlie and James? Are they okay?" I asked. I hoped they were.

"They're okay. They managed to outrun the stampede anyway. James nearly got dragged by a fan but he managed", he replied.

I nodded. At least they didn't end up in a hospital. That was good.

"What about Danny?" I asked.

"Oh. Danny was worried sick you know. Honestly, I couldn't see a more depressed-looking guy. He really took care of you last night. He

was watching you and making sure you were okay. I don't even think he slept last night", he replied.

Oh my gosh… Aw Danny…

"Really?" I asked, feeling touched.

"Yup. Really. You should've seen Pamela though. She looked furious. She got so angry, she got a hose from the garden and sprayed

them on the fans when they all came out. Don't worry, they didn't know it was her. Maybe they thought the sprinklers went haywire".

Aw… I never knew Pamela could get so angry.

"You should start eating now. Danny said he'd come back later. The rest are gonna drop by later as well", he said and handed me the

tray full of food.

"Thanks a lot Matt", I grinned at him, grateful for the pile of food laid before me. I really was hungry.

I slowly sliced a small piece of pancake. I speared it with my fork, and popped it into my mouth. It tasted good. I began to sip on my

orange juice.

"Anthea, can I leave you for a while? I need to check on Charlie and James", he asked.

"Oh. Sure Matt. Just go. Thanks a lot", I replied, smiling.

He smiled, rose up and left the room.

Well, it's just me I guess. I proceeded to finishing my pancakes. I was done in a few minutes. I grabbed my glass of orange juice and

downed it in a few seconds.

I felt so refreshed now. I placed the tray on a small coffee table just near the bed. I plunged into the pillows once again. I yawned. I

was still pretty sleepy. I guess it was still early, maybe I could go back to sleep.

My hands spread throughout the bed as I stretched.

I miss Danny now. I still can't believe what he said to me last night:

'I'm in love with you'.

I couldn't help but smile as I replayed that sweet moment in my head.

I was kind of worried though. Now that Danny's confessed to me, I don't know how to tell him how I feel. I'm even more nervous now

and I'm scared that I'll say something wrong. I sighed.

I suddenly felt something smooth and paper-like. My right hand carefully got it and I held it in front of me.

My heart pounded.

"Hey Anthea,

I have to go now. I needed to get something. I'll be back later to check on you. I promise. After all, I'm concerned about you (me grinning widely). Don't do anything hazardous to your health okay?

Love,

Danny

P.S. You weren't dreaming last night. I really meant what I said. :]

I smiled and held the note. Aw… He was so sweet that it simply melts my heart.

An idea suddenly popped into my head. Maybe I should get him something. After all, he's done so much for me. I should definitely pay him back.

I looked to my right and sighed in relief. Thanks goodness they brought my bag here.

I stood up and walked towards my bag. Suddenly, I stepped on whatever I was wearing and fell down. My head hit the floor. A

sharp pain seared through my forehead.

"Ow…" I groaned. What the heck was I wearing anyway? I looked at my outfit carefully.

Oh yeah. I was still wearing my Snow White costume. Darn it.

I stood up again, my head aching once more. I opened my bag and pulled out my wallet.

"Yes! It's here!" I exclaimed happily. I should get ready now. I'm so excited to get Danny a gift!

I pulled out my extra clothes. Perfect. I'm glad everything's inside my bag.

I suddenly felt something in my bag, I took it out.

"Aw…" I said as I took it out. It was the genetic code letter again. Too bad it's smudged now, thanks to that accident. But it's

okay.

I just wish I did figure out who sent me this.

I smiled and placed it back in my bag. I was definitely keeping it.

I locked the door and took a shower in the bathroom to my right. After that, I changed into my clothes and out of the infernal

costume. Gosh it felt so itchy. I'm glad I'm separated from it. My good old casual clothes felt like heaven now.

I finally finished towelling my hair and fixing myself up. I unlocked the door, grabbed my bag and hopped downstairs.

Matt was busy poking James who was still fast asleep on a couch.

I laughed. "Matt, how could you? He's still sleeping you know".

He grinned. "Well, I can't help it. You know, he goes 'Jenny' whenever I poke his nose. Observe".

He poked James's nose. James stirred in his sleep.

"Jenny", he groaned. I chuckled.

Aw… He still liked Jenny I guess.

"Oh. Matt, can you come with me? I'm going shopping. Do you know a mall that's close by?" I requested him.

He nodded. "Yup. Just a few blocks away from here. It's the Vogue Mall. And sure, I'll come with you."

"Thanks Matt".

"Well, let's go. I'm driving you there".

"Wow! Thanks a lot!"

"No prob. Besides, Danny kept on telling me to never let you out of my sight. He looked really worried about you, you know".

I blushed. "Well, it is Danny".

We finally went out of the house.

We got into Matt's car. I gasped when I saw it. It was a blue Porsche. Gosh he was rich. He only chuckled when he saw my reaction.

We hopped into his car, and he started the engine. Two guys in suits opened the gate for him.

Matt suddenly laughed and grabbed a piece of paper on the car's mirror.

"What is it Matt?" I asked, curious.

"Nah. It's just Danny. Man, I can't believe he actually did that", he replied, reading a piece of paper.

I just looked at him and smiled. What did Danny do?

"Um… I think you'd better take a look at this so you'll understand", he said and handed me the piece of paper.

I took it and read what it said. I turned red when I saw it. Oh Danny.

"Matt, if you're planning to take Anthea out, please take care of her, okay? Don't stay out too late. Make sure she puts on her

seatbelt. Also, keep close to her. Don't ever let her wander on her own. Please? Thanks man.

Sincerely, Danny

"Aw Danny, you really shouldn't worry sp much", I said, touched by Danny's letter.

"Danny. Anyway, shall we get going?" Matt asked as he revved the engine.

"Sure", I nodded and we drove away. Matt and I chatted on a lot of things along the way. He was such a fun guy. I could see

that the fame hasn't gone to his head.

We finally arrived at a nearby mall. After parking, we went inside.

A lot of shops were here; mostly designer shops.

I roamed around a bit, wondering what I should get Danny.

"Matt, what should I get Danny?" I asked him. Maybe he had a good idea.

He scratched his head, thinking of an idea.

"What if you get him a surfboard? That would be cool", Matt suggested.

Hm… I liked the idea.

"Matt! You're a genius! Thanks! Do you think I can buy one here?" I asked.

"Sure. I think there's a sports store here at the second floor", he replied.

I nodded and went to the nearest escalator. We reached the second floor and I scanned the place for a sports store.

Hm… A bookstore, a gift shop… Where's the sports store?

"Hey Anthea. It's over there", Matt tapped my shoulder and pointed to his left.

I turned and finally saw the sports store. Perfect. I'm so glad to have Matt with me. He's such a wicked shopping buddy.

"Thanks Matt", I grinned and proceeded to the sports store.

The store was pretty huge. Plus there were a lot of different sports equipment here: different balls of different sizes, tennis

rackets, treadmills and a whole lot more.

Matt and I finally found the surfboards. They were well-designed. Matt decided to buy one as well. We finally finished choosing

and I had my surfboard delivered to Tom's mansion and Matt had his delivered to his house.

We were very happy with our choices. We went out of the store.

"Whoa! It's Jenny and James!" Matt exclaimed all of a sudden.

"Where?" I asked, looking for the two.

"There", he said and pointed to the right.

I saw Jenny and James. They laughed and looked like they were having a good time.

"I smell romance in the air", Matt said.

No. Jenny would never cheat on Tyrone. She's just not like that. And why would James tolerate this?

The two entered a coffee shop.

"Let's go", Matt said, tugging on my shirt.

"Huh? You sure?" I asked him, fearing that we might be nosy.

"Yup! Let's find out what they're here for".

"Wait! Maybe they'll see us!"

"I've got it covered".

Matt pulled out two wigs from his bags. One was red and the other was blond.

I laughed and put the blond wig on. Boy was he prepared. After that, we went in.

"Are they coming back?" I whispered to Matt, peeping over to the table next to us. We were keeping an eye out for Jenny and James. A small divider was between our table and theirs. We could peep over to them since it was a small divider.

"Yes! Duck!" he whispered and we lowered our heads. Jenny and James came back, carrying their tray of lattes. The two sat down.

"Wow. I'm glad we had time to do this", Jenny grinned at James.

"Yeah. I thought we'd be so busy with the tour. Still, even if we were busy, I'd still find a way to spend time with you", James said

sweetly.

"Aw… Thanks James", she replied, taking a sip of her latte.

These two really looked sweet. Don't get me wrong, Jenny and Tyrone looked great together. But I dunno, I also like James and

Jenny together.

"Hey, you're still wearing that necklace", James said, pointing to a necklace on Jenny.

She smiled and held her necklace. I stood up a bit, trying to get a look at her necklace like Matt told me. It was a silver one,

with a letter 'J' as a charm.

"Yes. I've always kept it", she replied.

"That's great. Thanks a lot for keeping it. It's nine years old now right?" he asked.

"Why yes. Time flies so fast you know."

"I totally agree. But you know I'm always here for you".

Jenny chuckled. "You never change. But thanks".

I squealed a bit and ducked. Dang that was so sweet. I felt like I was watching a romantic movie.

Matt ducked too. "Hey, what happened?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Um… They're just so sweet".

Luckily, James and Jenny haven't seemed to hear me. We both went back to observing them.

This time, I'm keeping quiet.

"Tell me, do you still think about our… er… Little dates?" James asked, grinning.

Jenny laughed. "Yeah. Where was our first date again?"

"I think it was at the ice cream shop. I think I got chocolate on your dress on that day as well".

"Oh yeah. I even cried, I think".

The two laughed. My gosh. They really had chemistry.

"James, did you have… er… any other girlfriends?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah. A few I guess. They were all great. But… I didn't seem that happy with them".

"Why's that?"

James gulped. "Do I really have to… um… say… it?"

"Come on James. You know you can tell me anything. You know me".

"Um… Okay. Fine. I have been keeping this for some time. Okay. I couldn't forget about you. That's why".

I saw James blush furiously. Jenny looked shocked and touched at the same time. She smiled as she squeezed James's hand.

"James, you should move on. You deserve someone better. Besides, you're a sweet and cute guy, not to mention a celebrity",

she said.

"But… I still can't do it. I still need time. I really liked you before… and you were my first girlfriend", James said, smiling weakly

as he drummed his fingers on the table.

"Oh James. Even after nine years?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe eh? But… maybe someday I will… But you know, I'd still go out with you if it was possible".

"James, to be honest, I do miss the old times".

Matt and I gasped and exchanged expressions.

"But… I think I just moved on you know? Besides, that was a long time ago James. And… Didn't you remember what you told

me before you left?" Jenny asked.

James began thinking about that piece of memory, and then he shrugged. "Sorry. I can't remember".

Jenny laughed. "I still remember the exact same words. I overheard you telling that to your friend Michael. 'Jenny, if I'm

going to be famous someday, I think you'll just be a bother to me. Let's stop this'".

James fell silent. "Wait! Jenny! I was rehearsing my lines for the play! You got it all wrong! Now I remember. I saw you crying

and you wouldn't talk to me. So I couldn't explain very well".

Jenny gasped. "Oh my gosh…. Really?? James! I am so so sorry. I was so cruel to you! Jeez I was an idiot".

"Nah. It's not entirely your fault. When you called me, I got so angry that I yelled at you on the phone. That made things

worse…"

"Really James, I am so sorry. Thank goodness we had time to clear things up".

"Yeah. Good thing we met up today. Jenny, you'll always be the best friend that I'll need. I just wanted you to know that".

"Aw… Thanks James. I feel the exact same way. You'll always be my best friend".

So this means that they could've been a couple until now if they weren't so childish. My gosh. That was a crying shame.

"So, how are things with Tyrone?" James asked.

"Oh. Quite fine. He's really sweet you know", Jenny replied.

"Aw… That's great. Hey, what makes you happy makes me happy".

"Thanks James. You're the best. What do you… er… think of Anthea and Danny?"

I listened closely. Matt was too.

James laughed. "It's so funny how shy they are towards each other. But I can see that they do like each other. You should

hear Danny talk about Anthea. He feels so concerned".

"You know, I think I heard Anthea murmur 'Danny' in her sleep once", Jenny said.

Matt looked at me teasingly. I blushed. Okay. One of my secret's out.

"That's cute. Haha. They should end up together. They're great people and I really think they'll last as a couple. Danny seems to

really really like her", James said.

"Yeah. Anthea needs someone who can really care for her. She's very clumsy. But I know that Danny'll never get tired of

catching her when she falls", Jenny laughed.

I thought about this. They were right. Danny was always there.

"Well, I'd better go back before the guys look for me", James said and rose up.

Jenny agreed. "Yup".

After they left, Matt raised an eyebrow at me. He was grinning. "So, they weren't doing anything fishy. But now I see. So tell

me, do you like Danny?"

I blushed and sighed.

"Honestly? Yes. I am in love with him", I admitted.

"Aw… That's cute. When will you tell him?"

"Um… I dunno. Soon I guess".

"Tell him tomorrow. It's Valentine's Day tomorrow you know".

"It is??"

"Yeah. Didn't you check the calendar?"

"No. But it's perfect!"

The day couldn't have come at a better time. This was so great.

"Matt, thanks so much for this day. I'm glad you came with me", I thanked Matt.

He grinned back at me. "Thanks. I had fun too. We should hang out some more".

"I'd love to".

I really did have fun today. Matt and I walked back to the car. He drove us home. We passed by the Louvre Museum. I told Matt that I'd love to visit that someday. He promised me he'd go there with me. I was excited.

We finally arrived at Matt's house. There seemed to be a commotion inside. I could hear Harry trying to calm someone down as we were at the front door.

"Danny, stop worrying. I'm sure they're perfectly fine", Harry said.

"I-I know Harry. But she was hurt! And she is clumsy. What is she faints? Or trips? Or gets hit by a car while crossing the

street?" Danny said in a worried voice.

"Dude, calm down. Matt's with her. I'm sure they're coming back soon".

"I hope so. Ugh. If they're not back in five minutes I am going to call Matt".

Harry chuckled. "You worry too much about her you know".

"Well, I care for her. That's why".

My heart began to pound again. My gosh. Danny was so sweet… I should've left a note saying we were going out.

"See? I told you he was so worried about you", Matt chuckled.

"Yeah. Let's go inside before his head explodes", I said.

We both went inside. Danny, Tom, Harry, Dougie, Jenny, Evangeline, Jessica, Tyrone and Nicole were inside.

Danny was pacing back and forth, a worried expression on his face. He looked relieved when he saw us.

Pamela sprang from the couch she was sitting on and hugged me tightly.

"Oh Anthea! We're so glad you're back! Danny was about to have a nervous breakdown!" she exclaimed as she hugged me.

I looked at Danny, an apologetic expression on my face. He sighed at me, but then managed to smile a bit. He really was worried.

James and Charlie suddenly came down the flight of stairs.

"Woah. Mattie's back", James grinned.

"Hey! Sorry I didn't leave a note. We had to jet", Matt waved.

"It's cool", Charlie replied.

"So, you're well now?" Evangeline asked me.

I turned to her and nodded. "Yup. My head doesn't hurt so much anymore".

She nodded, looking relieved too.

We explained to them where we went. They all nodded.

Suddenly, a 'ding!' came from the kitchen. Pamela rose up, a wide smile plastered on her face.

"Oooh. The pie's ready! Let's eat! Harry come on!" she said excitedly as she pulled Harry towards the kitchen.

Harry chuckled. "Pamela, you just ate an hour ago".

"Oh. Just come on. You made it, so I'm definitely going to eat it".

Nicole stood up. "Hey Pamela, take it easy. You might just rip off his arm".

Pamela loosened her grip on Harry. "Oh. Sorry Harry".

Harry smiled at her sweetly and held her by the waist. "It's okay Pamela. You're actually pretty cute when you do that. Let's go".

They all proceeded to the kitchen. Matt kept on raising his eyebrows at James and grinning at him. I laughed. Very soon, only Danny and I were left.

I was kind of nervous to approach him. I had worried him after all.

Then again, Danny's a really sweet guy. Why should I be so scared?

"Danny, I'm really sorry for worrying you. I didn't mean to. I just had to go out", I apologized to him.

At first, he looked at me sternly, but then his kind nature broke through. He smiled and walked towards me. He hugged me gently.

"It's okay Anthea. I was a bit paranoid. But try to understand, okay? I just really care for you. And I don't know what I'd do if you

got hurt", he told me sweetly.

My whole body felt like melted butter. I could practically turn to liquid now.

He chuckled. "Of course. If something happened to you, then how could we go out on a date tomorrow?"

I froze. Whoa! Was this real?

"Really Danny? You're asking me out?" I asked him excitedly.

"Of course. It's Valentine's Day. I do like you. And um… Can I ask you something? Do you like me?" he said, looking at me with gentle

eyes.

All of a sudden, my mouth went dry. I just felt so nervous. "Um… Um…"

He suddenly laughed. "Nah. You don't have to tell me now. But can you come tomorrow? Pamela's throwing a party at Rose

Garden. Can you come at five?"

I nodded.

Jeez. Why couldn't I tell him? Tomorrow, I definitely would.

We entered the kitchen and ate some pie. Danny's phone rang and he mentioned something about escorting a girl. He told me that his aunt asked him to escort a girl for tomorrow. But he assured me that it wouldn't consume his time too much. He was determined to go out with me. He borrowed a suit from Matt for the occasion.

Harry was a wicked cook. The pie was finished in no time. It really was delicious.

Somehow though, my stomach did a back lip when Danny said he was going to escort the girl. I dunno. I just didn't feel good about it. But I shrugged off the feeling.

We decided to get home when it was getting late. I winked at Matt when we were leaving. He really was awesome.

We drove back to Tom's mansion. Everyone seemed sleepy now, except for Pamela, Jessica, Harry and Dougie. The four turned on

the television and decided to watch a horror movie as they arrived at the mansion. Where do they get the energy? I was absolutely dead tired.

Danny looked sleepy too. He was yawning when we walked upstairs.

"Sleepy?" I asked him, grinning.

"Yup. I wanna hit the hay now. See you tomorrow at five 'kay? I'll really hurry up tomorrow after I escort this girl", he said, pecked

my cheek and went to his room.

I smiled. He was such a sweetheart. I can't wait to tell him how I really felt. I went to my room immediately and fell asleep. I was

excited for the next day.

I never knew everything would be so chaotic tomorrow.


	48. Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48 (TROUBLE)

I woke up late. I checked my watch. It was nine in the morning. I scratched my head and sat up. I stretched my arms and began to feel a bit livelier now.

I grabbed a comb on a table and began to brush my hair; it was such a mess. When there were no tangles left, I went to the bathroom.

I got my toothpaste and toothbrush. After squeezing the tub of toothpaste into my toothbrush, I began to brush my teeth.

I heard the doorbell ring downstairs. I heard Danny's voice as he said "Come in". I continued brushing my teeth.

"I have a delivery for Miss Anthea Stewart. It's her gift for… Wait…" the man downstairs began to say.

Something suddenly snapped inside me. Oh no! It was Danny's gift!

I immediately ran out of the bathroom and rushed down the stairs. There was still some froth on my

mouth but I definitely needed to stop this right now. I can't let Danny see his surprise!

I arrived at the living room, practically out of breath. Danny and the man looked shocked; they could only stare at me.

I took in a few breaths. Gosh my air supply was running out. "Um… Danny? Can you go away for a while?

I need to speak to the man in private. It's nothing really. You'll know soon".

Danny eyed me curiously, but followed. And so, he left me alone.

Whew. That was an extremely close one. I thought the surprise was ruined.

"Um… I know I look odd, but I was just brushing my teeth. And that gift was a surprise for him", I

explained to the man.

He nodded, seeming to understand the situation. "Oh. I see. Just sign here". He handed me a clipboard

and I signed it.

"Okay. Where do I put it?" he asked, starting to carry the heavy surfboard that was wrapped in brown paper.

"Oh. Upstairs. I'll show you the way", I told him and directed him upstairs. He followed and placed it in my room. I figured it'd be safe there.

I thanked him and went downstairs again. Danny was sitting on the couch. I smiled at him.

"Sorry 'bout that. It's a secret", I explained to him.

He chuckled and pointed to his mouth.

Oh. I still had froth on my mouth. I grinned at him.

He laughed again and stood up. He pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket and went near

me. "You… Still have froth on your mouth".

He began wiping the froth from my mouth with the handkerchief gently. I began to turn a bit pink.

"There. All done", he grinned widely as he finished cleaning me up.

I smiled back. "Thanks a lot Danny".

Suddenly, somebody poked my back. I squealed and whirled around to se who it was.

It was Dougie, grinning widely. His hair was totally messy today. I figured he just woke up.

"Dougie. Look at your hair", I said and began smoothing his hair. It went back to normal after I

spruced it up a bit.

"There. That's much better", I remarked after being satisfied.

He smiled like a kid. "Thanks a lot. I'm hungry now".

"Let's eat then", Danny suggested.

We went to the kitchen. Tom and Nicole were already sitting at the table, eating bowls of cereal.

The two were chatting lively as they shoved spoonfuls of cereal into their mouths.

"Hey. You two are early", Dougie yawned as he got a bowl and poured a box of cereal into it.

"That's because we didn't spend the night watching horror films", Tom replied.

"True, true. You should hear Harry in his bed. He was snoring so loudly, I felt like I could go deaf".

We all began eating our breakfast which comprised of tasty cereal in fresh milk. I missed cereal.

It's been a while since I've eaten some.

"Hey Anthea. What do you say to a tour to the Louvre Museum? I've been dying to go there", Nicole suggested.

The idea seemed very appealing. Hm… That's not such a bad idea. Come to think of it, I've always wanted to visit that stunning museum. And Danny would be out today as well to escort the girl.

"You know Nicole, that's not such a bad idea. Who's coming with us?" I replied.

"Well, all of the girls are going. The guys all have plans today. We'll go after lunch", she replied, fiddling with her spoon.

"Yeah. besides, you girls need some guy-free time", Tom added.

I nodded. It was a great idea.

"But we'll meet up later at another Judd restaurant called the Rose Garden. You've heard that Pamela's throwing a party right? The taxis know the place. It's pretty popular", Tom said.

Wow. Just how many restaurants did Harry's family have? No doubt he's going to be a famous

chef someday.

"Danny, you sure you can make it at five?" Dougie asked.

"Sure. I wouldn't miss it for the world", Danny replied and winked at me. I smiled.

"So, who's the girl you're escorting?" Dougie asked, placing his spoon in his empty bowl.

Danny shrugged. "I have no idea. But I'm scheduled to meet her at lunchtime."

"Well, don't take too long okay?" Pamela said as she suddenly entered the kitchen, nibbling on a cookie. "I've organized a private Valentine's Day Party at Harry's restaurant. Everyone should have a partner, okay?"

Everyone nodded. I smiled. I knew who I was going with.

Harry, Jenny, Jessica, Evangeline and Tyrone began entering the kitchen. They all ate

cereal as well. Jessica kept on yawning until Dougie pinched her cheeks.

"Wake up sleepyhead. Oh. And Happy Valentine's", Dougie said sweetly as he kissed her on the cheek.

Jessica laughed and kissed him on the cheek as well. "Happy Valentine's Day too".

"Oh. We kept on talking about a Valentine's Day Party but we never greeted each other. Happy Valentine's Day you guys", Tom said, chuckling.

We all laughed. Oh yeah. That was weird. We totally forgot about that.

"Happy Valentine's Day", Danny greeted me sweetly as he pecked my cheek.

I blushed and smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day too Danny".

Suddenly, his phone rang from his pocket. "Whoops. I gotta take this".

He went out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Oh. Hey Aunt Jane. What is it?" he asked.

"Oh Daniel. You're meeting up with the girl at twelve sharp okay? You'll be meeting here at my house. Thank you very much. This just came up so suddenly and the girl was absolutely frantic when she couldn't find a partner", Aunt Jane said.

"It's no problem. I'll come early".

"Thank you Daniel. Oh. She seems excited to see you. She's been looking forward to it all day".

"Aw… I'll come. I promise".

"Okay. Thank you so much Daniel. Goodbye".

"Sure Aunt Jane. See you later".

He cut off the call.

"Well, Daniel's coming early. You do seem eager to see him Laura dear", Aunt Jane said to Laura as they sat in the living room back at her home.

Laura was sitting on a sofa, her legs crossed and a demonic smile on her face. "Oh. I've been looking forward to it all day Aunt Jane. I know Daniel's a fine boy".

Aunt Jane sat next to her, taking a sip from her cup of tea. "You know Daniel quite well".

She smiled. "Oh yes. We have met and he's simply charming".

"Ah yes. He's currently single you know".

Laura grinned evilly. "Not for long. I'll make sure of that".


	49. Chapter 49

CHAPTER 49 (UNEXPECTED)

"Nicole! Nicole! Look at that! Oh my gosh! It's the Mona Lisa!" Pamela said excitedly as she pointed at the world-renowned painting.

"Ooh. Isn't it absolutely lovely?" Jenny remarked, taking a picture of it.

I admired the painting as well. It really was the work of a genius. The way it was painted was done so carefully and beautifully. It simply takes your breath away. I began taking a picture of it as well. I wasn't going home without a photograph of it.

Here we were at the Louvre Museum. There were also a lot of people here: Koreans, Germans, French and so much more nationalities. I could definitely understand though. This place was enchanting; it truly was an art haven. The tourists were all snapping a picture at the artworks. Maybe this Museum was the sole reason of some for going to Paris. I can't blame them. It's definitely worth it and absolutely something to brag about.

I looked at more beautiful paintings, taking in every single detail of each portrait. Gosh this place was dazzling.

"I'm so glad we came here", I said to Nicole excitedly.

She nodded. "This is the reason why I've always wanted to go to Paris. Let's look at some Greek sculptures now, shall we?"

I nodded and followed her to the sculptures. The different statutes were models of gods, kings and even warriors. All were well-crafted.

Evangeline suddenly appeared beside me, looking very happy.

"Hey. You look enthusiastic", I remarked.

"Well, we are at the Louvre Museum", she said breathlessly. She began to take a picture of the

sculptures.

Jenny appeared as well with Tyrone beside her. Aw… he simply couldn't leave her.

"The Egyptian artifact collection is jaw-dropping", she smiled as she met us.

"Ooh. Maybe I could go there next", Jessica said excitedly.

"Ah yes. I'd love to go—", Evangeline began to say but she was cut off in mid-sentence. She spaced out a bit. It must be another vision. She closed her eyes.

Her eyes reopened after a few seconds. She blinked twice.

"So, what's your vision this time?" Jenny asked.

"Hm… I think something's going to go wrong today. Something's going to distract one of the boys. It's a bit blurry though, my vision", she said.

"Oh my. What should we do?" Pamela asked.

"Mm… I'm not sure okay? Besides, it might not come true. The guys wouldn't be late", Evangeline said.

We all nodded. I guess we shouldn't worry.

But… I couldn't help but do the opposite; especially about Danny. What if he couldn't make it? What if something did go wrong?

I held my camera and focused on getting a good shot at another Greek sculpture. It might take my mind off my worries.

But as I clicked camera, I had a bad feeling about the afternoon.

Danny arrived at his Aunt Jane's house early.

He pressed the doorbell and waited outside.

Aunt Jane finally opened the door after a few minutes. She was beaming at him.

"Daniel! So glad you came! And at the exact time as well", she exclaimed and pecked him on the cheek.

"It's nice to see you too Aunt Jane. Um… Where's the girl?" he asked and smiled.

"Oh. She's insi---" Aunt Jane said but then a screech filled the house.

Danny's eyes widened. This screech was all-too familiar to him. "Oh crud. Bloody… No!" he muttered and rolled his eyes.

Laura practically danced out of the door as she ran out to greet Danny. She immediately flung her arms around him and giggled.

"Danny! It's so good to see you!" she squealed.

Danny pushed her away, scowling. "Um… Let's not get too touchy, okay? I'm just here to escort you.

Nothing more, nothing less".

Laura pouted, placing her hands on her hips. "Come on Danny. Can't I have a little fun?"

"Um… Let me think about that. Absolutely not. And can we make this quick? I have to attend something important later", he replied.

Aunt Jane looked at him with a surprised expression on her face. He never acted like this. He was usually so polite.

"Um… Well, Laura said she'd like to chat with you in a café. Is that alright Daniel?" she asked Danny.

He nodded, smiling at his aunt. "Sure Aunt Jane. I've got no problem with that at all".

"Well, let's get going now then", Laura said and grabbed Danny's arm.

He immediately yanked his arm away. "I said no touchy. I'm here to escort, we're not on a date".

She crossed her arms and pouted. "Oh fine".

She went closer to Danny but he held up his hand to stop her.

"Um… Keep some distance, will you?" he asked.

She groaned but followed. She couldn't force him.

The two went on to walk towards the café, which was just pretty near. Aunt Jane was behind them, puzzled by Danny's sudden change in attitude. The two were apart, a considerably wide distance between them. Every time Lara would go an inch nearer, Danny would push her away.

Laura just seemed so sweet to her. She was always prim and proper and lady-like.

Then again, she might be wrong about Laura. Danny seemed to absolutely despise her.

'Hm… I'd better do another check on this girl' she reminded herself.

Besides, appearances can be quite deceiving.

Laura went closer to Danny again. He pushed her away.

'Gosh he hates her' Aunt Jane thought.

"It fits you guys!" I called out after zipping my dress.

It was a cute halter dress. It was a sleek black. There was a ribbon on the side and the skirt was cute.

I looked at myself in the mirror, fixing my black hair. I smiled. The dress wasn't so bad at all.

"Oh! Let me see!" Jessica said excitedly and opened the curtains of the dressing room. She gasped and hugged me.

"You look gorgeous!" she squealed.

I chuckled. "Thanks!"

"Jessica, let me have a go", Pamela said and Jessica moved out of the way.

She clapped her hands. "Anthea. You simply look divine".

I grinned. "Well, you picked the outfit. It's all thanks to you".

"Aw… I'm glad it fits you", she replied.

"So, you're gonna take it?" Evangeline asked.

"Sure. I'm gonna wear this later", I nodded.

"You'd better. It'd be a crying shame if you won't take that", Nicole added.

I looked at myself in the mirror once again. Yeah. It would be such a waste.

Well, we were done touring the Louvre Museum. It's already afternoon. We had lunch in a nearby restaurant. After eating, we proceeded to the mall. We all decided to buy our outfits for the Valentine's Party. Charlie, Matt and James were coming with their dates too.

Hm… I wonder if James could bring a date with him. He still seemed solid on Jenny.

Jenny's phone suddenly rang. "Oh guys. I have to take this. Hello? James? Yeah I'm here".

We all paused to listen. This seemed like an interesting conversation.

"Oh. Sure. It's at five this afternoon. Yup. See you James. Good luck with your partner", she said.

Aw… I'm sure they'd still be a great couple.

"Can I change now? I'm going to pay for this", I requested them.

They nodded and got out of the dressing room.

I closed the curtains and began to take off my dress slowly. I changed back into my tee and skirt.

I was so excited for the party later! I couldn't wait to see Danny!

More importantly, I couldn't wait to tell him how I felt.

"Presenting Miss Laura Bailey to be escorted by Mister Daniel Alan David Jones", a man announced as Laura and Danny went down the staircase in the fancy hotel.

Danny was already in his suit and Laura was wearing a white gown full of lace. Her hair was in a bun and a beautiful necklace hung on her neck. In everyone's opinion, she looked very pretty; except for Danny.

He was groaning as Laura held him. His sour expression was the exact opposite of Laura's, which was of pure delight.

They went down the staircase and proceeded to the hall.

"You could look more cheerful", Laura complained.

"And kill myself in the process? No thank you", Danny replied sarcastically.

Laura pinched his cheeks and giggled. "You're cute when you're angry!"

"Urgh! Don't touch me!" he moaned as he slapped her hand away.

Classic music began to fill the hall and couples rose up to dance each other.

"Oh Danny! Let's dance! Come on!" she urged as she tugged on his sleeve.

"Oh-ho. I told you I'd escort you. I never said that I'd dance with you", he replied.

She pouted and stamped her foot on his foot, her heel landing on it. Danny let out a yelp and

immediately bent down. He was hopping on one foot.

"What'd you do that for?!?" he protested, still hopping on one foot.

"Dance or my heel might end up on your face", she threatened him, a menacing tone to her voice.

"Jeez! Fine! Fine!"

"Why thank you. Let's go now".

Danny had no choice but to comply with her demands. They began to waltz around. Luckily, Laura

wasn't complaining anymore because Danny was dancing well.

He glanced at his watch. It was four-thirty now.

"I've gotta get there early. I can't miss my date with Anthea", he thought.

I was sitting on one table, looking at the different couples on the dance floor. Harry was smiling as he danced with Pamela; Evangeline was with Thomas who was luckily in Paris today; Jessica and Dougie grinned at each other as they began to dance slowly; Nicole seemed very happy as Aaron twirled her; and Jenny and Tyrone looked absolutely sweet.

I smiled. They all looked sweet. I was still waiting patiently for my date though. His surfboard was here, already wrapped up.

I even placed a note on the gift, expressing how much I really liked him. The genetic code letter was in my purse now. I could ask him who sent it.

We arrived at the Rose Garden. We were all dressed up in our fancy outfits. The guys arrived later, all dressed up in their suits.

Danny hasn't arrived yet, and so has Tom. Maybe they were together. I really shouldn't worry. Danny wouldn't ditch me. I was just getting worried. What if something happened to him?

Suddenly, Tom entered the place with Aloura. I began to feel a bit more cheerful. Danny was bound to come with him.

"Hey dude! Join us!" Harry called to them from the dance floor.

"Sorry I'm late. Let's go", he replied as he held Aloura's hand.

That's weird. Where was Danny?

"Tom, is Danny with you?" I asked Tom as he passed by.

"Oh. Hey Anthea. No. He's still escorting remember?" Tom replied.

Oh no. Danny wasn't with him.

Tom placed his hand on my shoulder and grinned. "Don't you worry. You know Danny, he'll definitely come".

I nodded, finding little comfort in what he said. "Okay Tom, thanks. I'll just wait for him".

He nodded and followed the others to the dance floor.

I looked at the wall clock. It was already 5:15.

Oh well. I can still wait, and I will, no matter how long.

"Laura! I have to go now!" Danny protested. He was really late now. "Darn it! It's already five thirty!"

"Don't be such a party-pooper. Let's dance!" she replied and stamped on his foot once more.

"Yow! I swear I will end up in a hospital if this keeps up! Goodbye!" Danny yelped and ran for the main door.

However, it was blocked by two men in black suits. They were as huge as gorillas.

They had their arms crossed, a scary expression on their faces.

"Not so fast. You're not going anywhere Danny. Luckily, I called in daddy's bodyguards to help me

out in case something goes wrong. I was right", Laura snickered.

Danny narrowed his eyes at her.

'Gosh I hope she burns!' he thought bitterly.

An idea suddenly came to his mind. Maybe he could call Tom.

He reached for the phone in his pocket, but it wasn't there. He looked flabbergasted. Where was his phone?

"Oh. About your phone, it's with me", Laura said and pulled out the phone from her purse.

"H-how did you?" he asked her, absolutely stumped.

"Got it when you didn't notice. So, let's continue the dance?"

'Bloody no. I need to stall and think of how I can get out of this cage', Danny thought.

"Whoops! I need to pee! Gotta go!" he yelled and ran for the restroom.

"Be back!" Laura called after him.

"Uuurrgh!" Danny yelled as he pounded hid fists on the walls of the restroom.

"I've got to get out now. Anthea's waiting", he muttered as his eyes scanned this room. 'Well, I can't go out of this bloody door because of those bloody gorillas' he thought bitterly.

Suddenly, something caught his attention: a window.

He went closer to it. It seemed as if he would fit. He began to brighten up.

Now, if only someone could help him get out of here.

Suddenly, the door opened and a tall, dark-haired guy entered. He began fixing his suit while looking at the mirror.

'He'll do' Danny thought.

"Um… Excuse me mate, could you do me a little favour here?" Danny asked him.

The man turned around and shrugged. "Sure. I guess".

"Can you, like, push me up there? I desperately need to ditch my date", Danny asked him, pointing to the window.

He seemed to agree because he nodded. "Sure, but what's in it for me?"

'Oh no. Why do I still have to pay? I thought this was a favour!' Danny thought furiously as he rummaged his pockets.

'Oh no. I'm out' he thought. Suddenly, a photograph flew out of his pocket as he was rummaging through it furiously.

The guy picked it up and whistled. "Whoa! I'll take this then!"

"What's that?" Danny asked.

The guy showed him the photograph. It was Anthea in her P.E. uniform. Namely, shirt and shorts.

Danny turned red. "Give that back! Listen, I can't pay you now, but I will. Anything but that".

"Nuh-uh. I'm fine with this. You naughty little perv. Snapping pictures of girls in their P.E. uniform", the man taunted Danny.

Danny checked his watch: 5:40. There wasn't much time left. He should really jet now.

He gave in. "Fine! Keep it! And I am not a perv!"

"Sure, sure. That's what they all say", the man chuckled and placed the photograph in his pocket. Danny felt his heart being shredded into pieces as he had to give it away.

Still. It had to be done.

The guy began helping Danny climb out the window. Danny was standing on his shoulders while he lifted him.

"Jeez! Go on a diet, will you?" the guy complained.

"Shut up! The faster we do this, the better", Danny snapped back.

Finally, the guy used all of his force to push Danny through the window. Danny finally made it out.

Danny was grinning widely, happy that he was free.

"Thanks man. By the way, don't even think of flirting with the girl in the picture. I'll knock your teeth off. Got that?" Danny told the guy.

The guy only chuckled. "Fine. I'm just gonna keep it anyway. Adios".

Danny began running towards the street, looking for a taxi. However, every taxi seemed full. A few minutes flew by and no taxi seemed available.

"Darn it!! Why me?!" Danny yelled and sat on the pavement, burying his head in his hands. This day was so wrong.

Suddenly, he heard a motorcycle drive near him. He looked up.

The driver was wearing a helmet and looking at him. What would happen next?

"Dude, you need a lift?" he asked Danny.

And somehow, his voice was so familiar.

"Danny's still not here?" Pamela frowned as she sat next to me. "Did you try calling him?"

"Yes. But his phone seems dead", I replied worriedly.

It's already past 6, but Danny wasn't here yet. Something was definitely wrong. He promised to be here, and it wasn't like him to make me wait for him for an hour.

"I think… This is what my vision was telling me. I'm not sure if he'll come", Evangeline said as she joined us at the table.

I sighed. "No. I'm waiting for Danny, no matter how long. He said he'll be here, and he will be here".

I'm not about to walk out. I was going to wait for him.

Still, I had this foreboding feeling that he might've been in an accident, or something did happen to him. I kept on worrying about him. It didn't matter if he took a long time; my only concern is to see him safe.

"That's the spirit. I'm sure he'll come. I just don't know why he's late", Pamela comforted me.

James and Charlie suddenly appeared, looking very handsome in their suits. Charlie was with Kate Waldorf, to everyone's surprise.

"Dude! You're with Kate Waldorf?" Harry exclaimed as he rushed to meet Charlie.

Charlie turned pink. "Well, I just asked her yesterday".

Kate brushed away her golden blond hair and smiled. Gosh she was beautiful. "Well, Charlie asked me yesterday if he could come. He was sweet, so I couldn't help but say yes to him", she replied.

We all scrambled to get ball pens and pieces of paper. We began to ask foe Kate's autograph. It was a golden opportunity. Pamela and I giggled as she signed our papers.

"Well, to the dance floor?" Harry asked as he pointed to the dance floor.

The two nodded and proceeded there. James seemed to have no pair.

"James, who's your pair?" I asked him.

He chuckled. "Jenny, of course".

Jenny saw him and said something to Tyrone and then rushed to James. She hugged him.

"James! So glad you came! Where's your partner?" she asked him, throwing excited glances all around the place, trying to search for his partner.

"You are", James replied.

Jenny's eyes widened. ""What? That's not possible. You're a celebrity".

"Er… Actually, there were some girls available and willing. But I figured that you're the only one who's good enough for me. I dunno. Things just seem more special for me when I'm with you".

"Aw James. That's so sweet! You wanna dance now? I'm sure Tyrone won't mind at all".

"Okay. Wait. Have you seen Matt?"

Jenny shook her head. "No. Why?"

"Well, he took off early in his motorcycle. I'm surprised he's not here yet. He should've been here by now. Oh well. Let's just dance", James said and followed Jenny to the dance floor. I smiled and winked back at him.

I saw James and Jenny start to dance. James was doing a moon-walk, and he did it quite well. He was amazing. After that, Tyrone twirled Jenny around.

Aw… That was so sweet. Two guys who were so important to Jenny came in as her dates. She was pretty lucky.

I sighed. I was still waiting for Danny though. Okay. Don't worry. He'll come. Have some faith in him.

I held my hand up; I was wearing the bracelet that he gave me. It was really adorable. I'm definitely keeping this.

Maybe I should step outside for some fresh air. If I wait outside, I might see Danny.

Pamela passed by. I should tell her now.

"Pamela, I need to get some fresh air. I'll be outside for a while but I'll be back", I informed her.

"Sure, sure. We'll be waiting. And you might see Danny", she nodded.

I slowly stood up. I walked towards the door, but then a picture on the wall caught my eye.

It was Harry when he was younger. It seemed like he was cooking an omelette. Gosh he looked handsome even at a young age. He was so cute!

I paused for a few minutes to stare at the photograph.

Pamela's phone rang from her purse. She opened her purse and got the phone.

"Hello? D—" she said but then stopped. I turned to look at her. What's going on?

She laughed nervously. "Oh. Eh-he. It's nothing. Don't mind me Anthea".

I blinked and shrugged. Oh well, I'll just go back to looking at some more pictures before I go outside. This time it was Harry riding a tricycle. Aw… he looked so adorable!

Pamela was whispering on her phone.

"What? Well, she's still hanging on here. Okay. So… That's it? Sure. Oh! That's so sweet. Oh. Okay. I'll zip it. Okay. Bye", she said and placed her phone back in her purse.

"Um… Anthea. Why don't we chat for a bit?" Pamela asked me.

I nodded. She seemed a little too enthusiastic. I knew that she was hyper but this was too much. Still, I wasn't really suspicious. "Er… Okay Pamela. Whatever you say".

"So, you called her?" the guy in the motorcycle asked Danny as he drove around.

"Yup. Thanks a lot Matt! Thank God you came!" Danny grinned as he handed back Matt's phone to him.

"Sure, sure. You needed help badly man. It was a good thing I came by. What trapped you there anyway?" Matt asked, his eyes still focused on the road.

"Ugh. A beast in the name of Laura".

"Oh. A girl. I get it. Don't worry man. I'll get you there as soon as I can".

"Thanks man. I really owe you one".

Matt drove faster, dodging some cars along the way. The scenery just seemed to be a blur now with the speed that he was driving at.

They arrived at the restaurant early. Danny was still looking around carefully.

"Dude. What're you looking for?" Matt asked him, finally removing his helmet.

"Oh. I thought Anthea would be here. I don't want her to see me yet", Danny replied.

"Oh? How come?"

"I have a surprise for her. That's why".

"Aw… That's nice".

"By the way Matt. Where's your date?"

'Oh. I just met up with her a while ago. She said she's catch up later on, I think. Oh well. It doesn't matter if she shows up or not. I can still go to the party can't I?"

Danny chuckled.

"Nah. I'm just kidding. I'm going with my cousin", Matt replied.

"Oh? You couldn't get a date?" Danny asked him, confused.

"No. It's not that. I'm gonna set her up with James. He seems like he can't get over Jenny. Plus my cousin's a nice girl. I'm sure they'll get along".

"That's nice of you Matt".

"Well, I'm just looking out for my mate".

"Matt, you're awesome dude. By the way. Can you grant me one last phone call?"

"Sure. Is the surprise ready?" he handed his phone to Danny.

"Soon. I'll need a guitar though", Danny said as he began dialing a number on Matt's phone.


	50. Chapter 50

CHAPTER 50 (THOSE THREE LITTLE WORDS)

Pamela's phone rang again. We were in a middle of a conversation. We were just talking about the paintings in the Louvre Museum.

"Um… Can I take this for a while Anthea?" she asked me as she pulled out her phone out of her purse once more.

I nodded. "Sure Pamela. Go on."

She mouthed 'Thanks' to me and walked away.

Whoa. I didn't get a chance to go out. Pamela and I have been chatting for quite a while.

Oh well, I felt better anyway. I checked my watch once more, it was 7:00 now. I saw Pamela talking to Dougie.

Still no sign of Danny.

Pamela finally came back, a huge smile on her face.

"Anthea, since Danny's not here yet, would you like to see the garden outside? It's quite beautiful you know", Pamela asked me.

I thought about it. Well, I have nothing else to do. So I might as well say yes.

"Okay Pamela", I agreed and let her show me the way.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed and held my hand. We walked towards another huge door just in front of the dance floor. Pamela signaled to Dougie and he opened the door for us.

"Thanks Dougie", I told him.

"Sure", he smiled. Aw… he was always so cute.

We entered the garden and it really was beautiful. The moon shone brightly and the stars had an enchanting effect. Flowers of different kinds dotted the place. I saw a wonderfully carved statue to the right of an angel. There was also a fountain to the far left, and the place was lit up by several lanterns.

In the middle, there was a round wooden stage. There were speakers at the side and there was a chair and microphone stand on the stage.

"Some bands perform here you know. I think the band Blankside was the last one to step onstage", Pamela elaborated.

"Cool! No way! I exclaimed and stared in awe at the stage that was graced with the presence of my favourite band Blankside.

"Well, can I leave you here for a bit? I want to get a drink. I'll be right back", Pamela said.

"Sure. Pamela. I'll be fine here", I replied and she walked away.

Gosh. This place was so charming. I loved it here.

All of a sudden, the lights went out. I gasped as total darkness took over.

Jeez! My day was so bad!

Suddenly, the microphone was turned on, making a soft screeching noise. That's funny, I was the only one here. What's going on?

The strum of a guitar suddenly came out of the speakers.

Now I really was confused.

"This is for you, Anthea. Dougie, turn the lights on", a very familiar voice said.

I gasped when I heard him speak.

The lights went back on; and there he was, sitting handsomely on the chair onstage, holding his

guitar. He smiled at me.

"Hey Anthea. I'm sorry I'm super late. I know I have no excuse, but will you please forgive me?" he said.

Tears began to form in my eyes. I was just so happy that he finally came. I couldn't speak, but I nodded as I carefully wiped my tears away with my finger.

"Aw… Please don't cry. I'm here now. I won't ever leave you", he said gently.

I nodded and took a deep breath. Okay. I have to cut this out.

"I'm… going to dedicate this song to you. It's called 'All About You'…" he said and paused.

"By the way Anthea", he said and paused.

I finally found my voice. "Yes, Danny?"

He smiled at first and whispered gently into the microphone "I love you".

My heart skipped a beat. I was so touched. Danny was so sweet. He really was worth waiting for.

He began to sing:

"It's All About You….

It's all about you baby…

It's all about you…

It's all about you…

Yesterday you asked me something I thought you knew…

So I told you with a smile.

It's all about you.

Then you whispered in my ear.

And you told me too.

Said you'd make my life worthwhile,

It's all about you…

And I would answer all your wishes.

If you asked me to.

But if you denied me one of your kisses,

Don't know what I'd do.

So hold me close and say three words like you used to do.

Dancing on the kitchen tiles,

It's all about you…"

The song ended, and my heart melted along with it. This was the sweetest thing ever.

Again, I was crying. This was just so touching.

"Anthea, it breaks my heart seeing you like that. Come up here", he said as he placed his guitar on the wooden floorboard of the stage.

I walked slowly towards the stage, still wiping away my tears.

I finally got up on the stage. Danny smiled as he rose up from his chair. He hugged me and stroked my hand gently.

"Aw… it's alright. I'm sorry for being late", he said gently as he kissed my forehead.

"It's… Okay, Danny. I just thought something really bad happened to you since you didn't show up on time", I choked.

"Sssh… It's okay. I'm here. I'm so sorry. I'll explain to you what happened. I was practically in hell a while ago. I managed to escape though", he chuckled.

I finally let go of him. I was still crying a bit. He wiped the tears away with his finger gently.

I finally managed to calm down. "Thank you Danny… For coming. It really means a lot to me. I don't mind waiting though. Even if it took me a really long time".

He looked so touched. He smiled sweetly and held me by the waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Why's that?" he asked.

I looked into his eyes and placed my hand on his cheek. I smiled at him. "Because I love you too".

After that, I closed my eyes. His lips were gently pressed on mine. He kissed me gently and slowly.

I could feel my heart beat faster as he kissed me. He began pulling me closer to him. I wrapped my

arms around his neck.

This was such a magical moment for me. I finally got my prince, even though he was there from the beginning.

Sometimes, we refuse to look at other opinions. But if we're always close-minded, we could really miss the guy who we've always been looking for. And sometimes, he's just close by.

I'm glad I opened up to the possibility of loving Danny. Sure Harry's gorgeous, but Danny just makes me hypnotized.

We kissed for a few more seconds before Danny finally pulled away. I opened my eyes.

He was smiling at me. "Gosh you can kiss well". He chuckled.

I turned pink. "Well, glad you enjoyed it".

He laughed once more and hugged me tightly. He stroked my hair gently and kissed my forehead once more.

"So… You're officially my girlfriend?" he grinned at me.

I chuckled. "Of course Danny. Now you're my boyfriend. You're my first boyfriend".

"Oh. Well, I'm honoured. Especially since you're so beautiful".

I giggled. This moment was absolutely lovely.

"Oh Danny. I have a gift for you!" I exclaimed as I remembered the surfboard.

Gosh. I nearly forgot about that.

"Really? You shouldn't have", he replied sweetly.

"But I did. So you have to take it", I grinned.

"Okay. I'm excited".

He held me by the waist as we walked back towards the restaurant.

"By the way, you look so lovely in that dress. I think I could fall in love with you all over again". he

complimented me sweetly.

I blushed. "Danny, you're too sweet. Thanks so much. You look quite handsome too".

We entered the restaurant again. Everyone was sitting at the tables and chatting. Tom looked up at us and winked at Danny. Dougie and Harry grinned at Danny, sort of congratulating him. Danny could only smile back.

I finally guided him towards my table where the surfboard was wrapped. I was so ecstatic to give him my gift.

He looked at the gift with wide eyes, but he looked so pleased. "Anthea… What is this? Oh my gosh. Anthea… Thank you".

He began unwrapping it carefully, taking out the card first. He suddenly stopped opening the gift. He picked up the card.

"Wait. Shouldn't I open this first?" he asked, holding up the card.

"Aw Danny. Sure", I replied.

He opened the envelope, and took out the card. He opened the card and read what it said:

"Danny, Happy Valentine's Day! Thank you so much for everything. You've been so great, and I don't think words are enough to describe how grateful how I feel. Thank you. You know, I never thought I'd get over Harry. But then, I never did really see. Haha. Okay. I know I sound corny but that's really how I feel. It's like I was crossing the street, but I never did look both ways. I'm glad I looked the other way, because I found you. Danny, I really am in love with you. Thank you for making my life worthwhile. Love, Anthea".

He finished reading it, and he smiled at me ever so sweetly. "Anthea. This is the sweetest thing ever. Thank you so much. I'm definitely keeping this".

"Anything for you Danny. Now open your gift", I said.

He followed and once again unwrapped his gift. The seconds seemed to tick by slowly. Maybe I was just a bit impatient. I really wanted him to see it.

He looked shocked when he finally tore the last piece of gift wrapper.

There it was, his brand new surfboard, gleaming. He ran his hands down it, admiring it. A wide smile spread across his face.

"Thanks so much! This is so cool! I really love it", he thanked me.

"I'm glad you like it", I replied.

Suddenly, we heard another conversation from the table. This time, there was a new girl. She had curly brown hair reaching just below her shoulders, green eyes and full lips. She was absolutely beautiful. Who was

she?

"Eh-hem. Um… James, this is my cousin Ashley by the way", Matt introduced the girl to James.

James shook the girl's hand. "Nice meeting you".

She nodded, smiling. Then she sat down next to James and started chatting with him. From the look of things, I think they're going to get along quite well.

Jenny was just seated a few chairs away from James. I observed her reaction.

She didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she was grinning at James and winking at him. She looked happy for him.

Aw… That's so sweet.

"Oh. So that's Matt's cousin", Danny said after seeing Ashley.

"Whoa. That's Matt's cousin?" I asked, surprised. Hm… Did Matt really plan all of this? It seemed like he set James up with Ashley.

"Well, Matt asked his cousin to be his date because he wanted to set her up with James", Danny explained.

Yup. I knew it. Matt really did plan all of this.

"That's so sweet of him", he commented.

"Well, he's looking out for his friend", Danny shrugged.

I nodded. I completely understood him.

Suddenly, someone entered the restaurant. I saw Danny grow pale as he saw who it was.

"Oh no. It's Aunt Jane", he moaned. He looked so panicked.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Danny, what's wrong?"

"Er… Well, you see, I escorted Laura. So, yeah, I went through hell. But I ditched her. She's the reason why I was late", he explained.

"Oh dear. Is your aunt mad?"

He gulped. "I hope not".

There was his Aunt Jane standing beside the main door. She was scanning the room, apparently looking for Danny.

Danny took a deep breath and raised his arm, waving towards his aunt. She seemed to have noticed, so she walked towards us.

Danny suddenly held my hand. His hand was very cold.

"Danny, your hands are so clammy", I remarked.

"Er… I'm just pretty bit nervous. I mean, I did ditch Laura. And my aunt expects me to be a gentleman. So…", he muttered, extremely nervous.

I squeezed his hand. "You'll be fine. I'm here for you. It's going to be okay", I comforted him.

"I hope so".

She walked towards us. She was wearing an elegant white dress, with matching pearly ear rings. She looked classy. She had a stern face.

"Daniel… I heard that you left Laura at the party", she started say. This made Danny look even more nervous than before.

"Um… Well… Er… That is… True…" he admitted.

"But… I saw how she treated you, and I see it fit that you did leave her", she continued, finally smiling.

Danny's eyes widened. "R-really?"

She laughed and patted Danny on the shoulder. "You don't need to apologize Daniel. It's perfectly fine. With a girl as horrid as she is, I would understand. Just… Explain to me next time, okay?"

Danny nodded and smiled. Wow. Things were going so well. His aunt was so sweet.

"Um… Daniel. Aren't you going to introduce me to this lovely lady beside you?" she asked beaming at me.

"Oh. Aunt Jane, this is Anthea", he said, placing his arm on my shoulder. "She's my girlfriend".

She seemed to look very surprised. Her eyes grew wide and she cupped her hands to her mouth. "Daniel, is this true?? Oh my".

He nodded. "Yup. We're officially going out now".

She went "Aawww…" and hugged him. She looked so happy for him. "Daniel, this is so wonderful. My dear, thank you for entering his life. He definitely needed a girlfriend. No wonder he seems happier when he calls me on the phone. Thank you".

She was smiling at me and shaking my hand. Whoa. Was this really a big thing?

"Oh. I must look bizarre. Well, I've been waiting for Danny to get a girlfriend. That's why I'm celebrating now. Well, best of luck to you two. Daniel, I have to leave now. Goodbye", she smiled, waved goodbye to us and left.

Danny and I exchanged glances and laughed.

"Sorry. My aunt's pretty much like that", he said, shrugging.

"It's fine, Daniel", I chuckled. "She's nice you know, and pretty enthusiastic".

"Well, that's why I love her". He went back to his surfboard again. "Really, thanks. Now I definitely have to try surfing".

I smiled. I'm so glad he appreciates it so much. My phone began to vibrate inside the bag on the table. I opened my bag and took I out. I received a message from Laura. I decided to delete instead. There

was probably nothing good in it anyway.

I didn't notice a small, folded piece of paper slowly dropping to the floor. Danny did though, and he picked it up, unfolding it slowly.

"I just got a text message from Laura. But… I didn't read it", I informed him after placing my phone back in my bag.

"Oh. Okay. It's probably just rubbish anyway. Anthea, you haven't finished this?" he asked me, holding up the dropped piece of paper.

I looked at it carefully. Oh. The genetic code thingy. I never did get to finding out who wrote it.

"Oh yeah. I never finished that because Kyle spilled his drink on it. I do want to find out though", I explained.

"Hm… I know who it is, you know", he said.

"Oh. You do?"

"Yup. Hand me a ballpen".

I rummaged through my bag for one. I finally found it and handed it to him.

He began to fill out the missing letters. He folded the piece of paper and handed it back to me.

I read the final answer:

'Danny'.

I gasped. "Danny! It was you all along! Oh my gosh!"

He chuckled. "What? You never considered the possibility?"

"Well, not really. I've thought about it, but I never did think it would be true".

"You're wonderful, and that's why. Well, I did write this for you".

"Aw… Thank you so much. This is really a piece of work you know. I love it so much".

"Glad you liked it. I was like, sleeping at 1 am just to finish that. It was hard. I never expected it to be so tedious".

"Oh Danny. Really? That's so sweet! Thanks again!"

"Sure, sure".

Well, it really was Danny. It's not really shocking, but at the same time very unexpected. It's pretty funny how amazing things come from the unexpected people.

My phone rang once again in my purse. I took it out and answered it. "Hello?"

"Ooh… You!! Where's Danny?!?! What've you done with him?!? I'm left here all alone because of youu!! I cannot believe you! How dare you sabotage everything?? You're nothing!! You hear me?? Nothing!! You're so

selfish!! I hate you!!" Laura began shrieking.

I removed it from my ear. Ugh. I could go deaf if this continues. "What's your problem Laura?? You weren't treating Danny right. He had to leave", I answered her back.

I could hear heavy breathing on the other line. I could picture her out, red and fuming.

"Oohh… I don't care!! Bring him back here!! You're so inconsiderate!! Don't you care about others?! Huh?? Huh?? You only think about yourself!! Selfish!! Selfish!1 selfish!!" she screamed.

Ugh. She's worse than the most annoying parrot. When will she ever shut up? What a nice way to end the day: someone shrieking at you. Jeez.

Okay. Time to answer her back.

"You listen to me, Laura. You're the one who doesn't care about others. You're the inconsiderate one. Why else would Danny leave you? You're not the queen of the world. And even if you were, I sure wouldn't bow down to you. You got that? Stop being selfish. Okay?" I answered back.

For a while, there was silence. She seemed stunned by what I said. Well, she wouldn't speak to me in a civilized way, so why should I be too polite? And besides, she definitely needed a wake-up call.

"I… don't believe you. I've never been criticized before", she finally said.

"You're never listened to anyone. That's why. Learn to listen, will you?" I said, a little more politely. It took all of my self-control not to shout back at her.

"Hmph! Still! You stole my man!! You stabbed me in the back!! You---"

But I didn't get to hear her finish her sentence. Danny suddenly signalled me to hand him my phone. What's he thinking?

Still, I obeyed and handed him my phone. He cleared his throat as he placed the phone near his ear.

"Laura…" he began to say.

Laura seemed shocked. I heard her say "D-Danny? Is that really you?"

"Er… Yeah. Look, I'm sorry for leaving you. But you were treating me badly. So what's a chap to do?"

"Still! I'm so alone! Danny! How could you?? I'm your woman for Pete's sake!! How can you not like me? We're perfect for each other! I think it's very cheap of you to run of with… with… that wannabe!! She's probably just using you!" she began to shriek again. I heard every word that came out from that foul mouth of hers.

Excuse me? Me? A wannabe? Please! As if!

Danny sighed. "Laura, listen to me".

"Yes?? What is it??" she snapped.

"Shut the hell up".

I looked at him, surprised. Is this really Danny? Am I hearing him right? Did he just tell her to shut the hell up?

"D-Danny! How could you say that!" Laura cried.

"Because you deserved it. And by the way, you're already too late. Anthea's already my girlfriend", he said curtly.

Laura began to make an outburst again but Danny finished the call.

Oh my gosh! Danny was amazing. That was so cool! I couldn't believe he just did that.

He handed me my cell phone back. "Can you turn that off? I have a feeling she'll call back", he asked me.

Oh. That was a pretty good idea.

"Oh yeah. Sure", I nodded as I turned my cell phone off. After turning it off, I slipped it back into my bag.

"Thank God I managed to escape from that. I could've had all that yapping all night. Oh well. Besides", he said and placed his arm over my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. "I missed you".

I felt my cheeks burn and I smiled shyly. "Aw… I feel the same way Danny".

He kissed my cheek. "I'm glad you do".

Suddenly, the music started again. Everyone proceeded to the dance floor for one more dance. I saw James escorting Ashley. Thank goodness they got along quite well. I'm happy for them. Tyrone was also holding Jenny sweetly by the waist. Pamela and Harry decided to just sit down and chat. Dougie and Jessica were grooving on the dance floor already. Matt sat down with Nicole and Evangeline at one table. Charlie still seemed shy as he led Kate Waldorf to the dance floor. It looked more like Kate was leading him.

"So, shall we dance?" Danny smiled at me as he held my hand.

I looked into his wonderful eyes and smiled. "Of course Danny".

We walked to the dance floor slowly. We were in the middle already. Danny placed his arms around my waist. I wrapped my hands around his neck and we danced slowly.

"Hey, nice to see the two of you finally coming together", Dougie grinned at us as he and Jessica passed by.

"Oh my gosh Anthea. I'm glad you two are together now!" Jessica squealed at me, her voice very high-pitched.

I giggled. "Thanks, Jessica".

Danny grinned at Dougie as well. Dougie elbowed him. He only laughed as Dougie and Jessica danced away.

"I swear. Those two are so cute", I remarked.

"I know. I love seeing them together. I never thought I'd see the day a girl could endure Dougie's tricks", Danny agreed.

I laughed. Yes. I did agree with that. They're such a whacky couple.

I looked into Danny's eyes, he was looking back at me sweetly. I could see his beautiful blue eyes sparkling, like fireworks were going off there. There was just some magic in them.

He smiled at me, once again flashing his perfect set of teeth. He began to sing a song gently. "I can't believe I've found… the girl who turned my life around".

I grinned. "Aw… That's so sweet".

"It has to be, because you're the inspiration behind it".

"Aw…. Thank you…"

He moved closer to me, this time placing his hand under my chin. His other hand was still on my waist. "You rock my socks. And that's why I couldn't help but fall for you".

After saying that, he pulled my head closer. I closed my eyes. He began kissing me again sweetly.

And it was one of the best moments ever.


	51. Chapter 51

CHAPTER 51 (CRASH AND BURN)

"Aw… I don't want to leave Paris now", Pamela complained as she placed her bags on the plane's compartments over the seats. She crossed her arms as she sat on her seat, a sad expression on her face.

Harry sat next to her. He placed his arm over her shoulder. "Aw… Come on Pamela. You had fun right? And besides, we do need to go home now".

He kissed her cheek and hugged her. She sighed and smiled a bit.

"Oh okay. But I do love Paris now. It's such a beautiful city, really. Harry, let's go back here okay? Let's have another date here', she grinned. She seemed very enthusiastic as Harry nodded in agreement, thinking it would be a splendid idea.

I yawned in my seat. I was still a bit sleepy. We slept late again last night. Danny and I stepped into the garden one last time that night, looking at the stars. It was all so romantic.

Danny sat next to me. "You still sleepy?" he asked and pinched my nose gently.

I only laughed as he let go of my nose. "A bit. I couldn't stop thinking of last night."

He grinned. "So you are".

I let out another yawn, much louder than the previous one. "Er… I guess so. Hehe".

"Okay then. Why don't you lay your head on my shoulder? The plane's about to take off anyway", he offered as he pointed to his shoulder.

I looked at him. "You sure Danny?"

He chuckled. "Of course. You need to rest".

I grinned. "Thanks a lot Danny". I gave him a peck on the cheek and yawned once more. I don't think I had the strength to stay awake anymore. My eyes closed, and I drifted off to sleep.

Danny smiled and kissed my forehead. The engine roared and we finally left Paris.

"Anthea!! Anthea!! Wake up!!" Danny yelled as he shook me, panic horribly layering his voice.

I immediately woke up. As my eyes opened, I could see people running amok and panicking. I started to get scared, wondering what could've caused such outbreak.

"D-Danny? What's going on?" I asked, my voice shaking. What's happening? Why's everything so chaotic?

He pulled me. I looked into his eyes. He looked like he was about to cry. "Anthea… We're about to crash".

I didn't move or even speak. Is this real? Was this just a joke?

"No… No. That's not happening! Th-that can't happen!!" I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks.

I was so scared now. How could this happen? I couldn't understand a thing. Rather, my mind wouldn't accept things.

People were screaming now and we heard the sound of an alarm. The plane was dropping now. It was the truth. We were about to crash.

Was I about to die?

I began to sob a it. But after a few seconds, I pulled myself together. I should be finding a way to get out of here. Crying won't get me anywhere, and it certainly wasn't about to save me from impending doom.

I saw a few parachutes lying around. I immediately scrambled for them and gave one to Danny.

"Here. Let's go", I said as I fastened it on myself.

Where were Jenny and the rest? I couldn't see them anywhere.

"Let's get out of here", Danny said, pulling me towards the nearest exit.

He opened the door, the force of the wind whipped my face. I could feel the plane dropping slowly. My

legs began to tremble. I tried to get a grip on myself.

Danny looked at me with a dead serious expression on his face. "We have to jump Anthea".

I nodded, understanding the situation. "O-of course Danny", I replied, trembling.

We were ready to jump now. Danny shifted to me slowly. He hugged and kissed my cheek. "We'll… Be fine".

"I… I know we will", I replied. "I'm with you, I'll be fine".

After that, he signaled for me to jump. '1, 2, 3… Jump!" he yelled.

We both jumped and fell downwards. To our horror, our parachutes wouldn't open.

We were about to crash down and die. I cried a bit. I didn't want to see it.

So I closed my eyes.


	52. Chapter 52

CHAPTER 52 (DANNY'S POINT OF VIEW)

"Oh!!" Anthea exclaimed as she opened her eyes. She suddenly woke up from her sleep. She scanned the airplane, her eyes wide.

What was going on with her?

"Anthea, what's wrong?" I asked her.

She turned to me and had a bewildered expression on her face. She placed her hand on my cheek, as if checking if I were indeed real.

"I-is that really you?" she asked me.

I nodded, a little confused. "Yes Anthea. I'm here. What happened?"

She began to smile a bit. A few seconds later, she began to cry. She began wiping her tears.

Oh no. Something's up.

"Anthea? Anthea? Ssh… Don't cry', I comforted her. I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and began wiping her tears.

She thanked me and began hugging. "Danny… I thought it was so real… I was so scared. I'm glad it was all just a dream", she said quietly.

I got worried. She's really upset now. "Anthea… I'm here… What did you dream about?"

"W-well. I dreamt that we were all crashing", she started to say.

I flinched. "Did you say 'crash'?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It was so scary you know. And the worst thing was… We were dying". She choked out another sob.

I hugged her, trying to console her. "It's okay. It's just a dream. I'm here. We're fine".

She nodded, trying to smile a bit. "I'm fine now. Gosh I can't stop crying". She laughed a bit. "Sorry. Thanks a lot".

I smiled as well. "It's no problem".

She pecked me on the cheek and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Hey, even guys feel these things too.

"You still sleepy?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "Nah. I want to chat a bit with you".

She was sweet. I can't imagine I got to meet her.

It's pretty amazing actually. Who'd have thought I'd really fall for her? One day she was just this cute lost girl trying to find the Chemistry; I knew nothing about her, and she certainly didn't know me.

And now she's my girlfriend. Wicked, huh?

"Ooh. That's a really fluffy-looking cloud", she said, pointing out of the plane's window.

I only laughed. "Aren't all clouds fluffy-looking?"

She grinned. "Well, this one's extra fluffy-looking". She was getting all hyper.

Gosh she was cute. I guess she doesn't notice how pretty she is with her wonderful brown eyes and jet-black hair. Plus the fact that she always smiles just makes her more attractive. I always did like cheerful-looking girls. I could figure them out more easily.

Physically, she could be a magnet for guys. Actually, I've already had a few chats with some guys who were really attracted to her; and she was only a few weeks at school.

Hm… I wondered why no one ever tried to court her though…

Ah… Now I remember. Tom, Harry and Dougie wouldn't let them. they were very protective about her.

I remembered the first few weeks of school. And I was hanging out with Derek, my classmate, in the hallway.

"Hey, Anthea's coming over here", Derek said as he spotted her. She was walking our way.

It was only about two weeks since she first came.

"What, Derek? You've got a thing for her?" I asked him, chuckling.

Well, during this time I did find her pretty cute. There was a teensy attraction, but there weren't too much sparks yet. I was like "Yeah. She is pretty cute".

Derek blushed and scratched his blond hair. "Kinda. Well, how can't I? She is pretty after all".

I shook my head. "There's more to girls than looks you know".

I should know. I've had this kind of experience before.

"Ah well. I wanna talk to her, but I'm scared that I'll do something stupid", he said.

"Whoa. You? Nervous?" I asked. Then I began to wonder if she was all that. Was she really that incredible to make a guy nervous?

"Yeah. I mean, she is pretty smart. I can't believe she memorized every capital in the Asian countries. Dude, sometimes smart girls just scare me", he said.

Oh yeah. I still can't forget that amazing feat she pulled off; getting all the capitals of Asian countries correct during a test.

I chuckled. "Jeez. You worry too much you know".

He punched me gently. "What? You know, I envy you man. She acts so naturally with you. You're like best buds. She seems to feel kinda awkward with other guys".

I thought about this for a while. Really? Was she really like that around me?

"Oh really?" I asked him.

"Yup", he nodded.

I had to admit as well though; I felt pretty comfortable around her too, and it's only been two weeks. She doesn't mind the way I act, which is great for me.

"She's passing by now! How do I look?" Derek asked me as he began fixing his hair; although it was unnecessary because his hair was in perfect condition already.

I laughed once more. "Jeez man. Just act cool. She's just like any girl. And I can assure you that she's not a snob".

He suddenly elbowed me. "Shut up now. She's coming".

I rolled my eyes. "Like I said, just act cool".

Anthea finally approached us. She grinned at me. She looked cute today with her ruffled white top, skirt, and low-cut Converse shoes.

"Hi Danny!" she greeted me.

I waved back at her. "Hey Anthea".

She was carrying her books, hugging them. "Who's your friend?" she asked as she spotted Derek.

I nearly laughed and Derek narrowed his eyes at me, clearly embarrassed. The funny thing was, Derek was just a few seats away from her and he always bugged her about the simplest questions. I thought that by now she would've remembered his name.

The poor guy.

"Anthea, this is Derek remember? He's our classmate. The one who's a few seats away from you", I said.

Derek looked crestfallen.

Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. "Oh! Stupid me! Sorry man. I can't remember things all the time. Sorry. Well, nice to meet you Derek". She grinned at him and offered her hand for him to shake.

I saw Derek turn a small shade of pink. Pfft. Lucky guy.

He took her hand and shook it. He looked tense as he did so.

It lasted quite a few seconds, beyond the normal handshake. I could tell that Derek was the one who wasn't letting go. Anthea had an awkward smile on her face while Derek was grinning stupidly.

I'd better stop this.

"Oookay Derek", I cut in, signaling him to stop this endless handshake.

He realized what he was doing and finally let go of Anthea's hand. "Oh. Sorry 'bout that", he said as he scratched the back of his head.

Anthea only giggled. "It's okay. Well, see you around guys". She left and proceeded to the classroom.

Derek had a huge grin on his face. "Man!! I can't believe I shook her hand!!"

Then he slapped the back of my head hard.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" I asked, rubbing the bruised spot.

"Sorry dude", he laughed. "I can't believe I shook her hand. And the way she giggles is so cute. I'm in heaven".

I only chuckled. "Whatever dude. Let's get to class".

"Anthea, you remember Derek Crawford?" I asked her.

She began rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Oh yeah. He always did bug me during Chem. I think he was trying to tell me something last time, but it looks like he was… I dunno… Choking?"

Oh yeah. I couldn't forget that fiasco. Derek tried to tell her, but he chickened out. Oh well, he'll tell her someday I guess.

But I'm making sure first that he knows I'm her boyfriend. I wouldn't want him courting her.

She placed her head on my shoulder, yawned, and began to sleep again.

So how did I fall for her?

Well, she was pretty goofy. She could be a dork at times. She was a great friend, and I never felt uncomfortable around her. She always did make me eat those pesky broccolis. She's a funny girl.

I was actually captivated by how sweet she could be when she's in love. She's so sincere. She was always concerned about Harry.

Every time he'd go missing during lunch she'd look for him. Plus she always sends him presents. She talks about Harry to me all the time.

Somehow, I didn't feel fed up. I was amazed by how she could really care for a guy. And I don't see that much concern from most girls. It was her unique trait.

After that, I realized that I was starting to fall for her. I kept on saying that it was a teensy weensy crush, but it turns out that it was more than that.

Everyday, she'd look prettier to me. She looked like she was glowing, and I wouldn't care about the other girls around. She'd always be the prettiest face that walked my way.

Then I'd start to feel concerned about her. I was so angry at Kyle before. Yeah, it wasn't fair. I was just trying to protect her.

I had a huge smiled plastered on my face when Harry kicked the ball straight to Kyle's face. I didn't even try to stop him.

I know. It's pretty evil. I won't do it again though. Besides, Kyle and I are at peace now.

My mom knew about this first. I always did trust mom. Dad was away for a business trip.

She encouraged me to tell Anthea how I felt. There was no harm in it. And I can't just keep my feelings bottled up, according to her. Tom said the exact same thing, and Dougie's been supportive. Harry never knew though.

Still, I was shy and there were a lot of interruptions.

I managed to in the end though. I poured out all that I wanted to tell her in five words: "I'm in love with you".

Luckily, she liked me too. I wasn't expecting that. What I expected was an apologetic smile and a painful 'No' as an answer. She was just so dead set on her Harry. Somehow, she changed her mind and unexpectedly fell for me.

It was great though, because I never imagined that things would turn out this way. It's really wicked and crazy.

I looked back at Anthea. She was snoozing a bit. I smiled.

James was just at our other side, writing down a song. At times, he'd tap his pencil on his table, thinking deeply. Charlie and Matt were sleeping.

They were going to America as well because they were about to have a tour there. So they decided to come with us in the business class.

"Hey Danny!" James called.

I looked over at him. "What is it James?" I asked him.

"Catch this", he said and threw a box at me.

I caught it and received a shock as I realized what it contained.

"James? Is this a cell phone?" I asked.

He grinned. "Yeah. We heard what Laura did. So we bought you one".

"Thanks mate!" I thanked him.

Yes! Thank you Busted! They were great guys.

"Ah. You and Anthea look so cute together. Why don't I take a picture?" James asked as he pulled out his camera.

Hm… That would be a great idea.

"Sure James", I said and began to smile for the camera. I heard the camera's shutter sound.

James looked at our picture.

"Aw… You guys look so sweet. I'll print out a copy for you two", he said.

Anthea stirred in her sleep. She rubbed her eyes as she woke up. "Did I just hear a camera?"

I laughed. "That's all it takes for you to wake up?"

"No fair. Let's take a picture again with me awake", she replied. "James, can you take another picture?"

He nodded. "Sure, sure".

We began to pose for the camera.

"Okay. On three?" James said as he began positioning his camera.

An idea suddenly came into my mind. I could try that.

"One… Two… Three!" James said and clicked on his camera.

Just before he could click his camera, I kissed Anthea on the cheek. She definitely didn't expect I and even turned red. James only chuckled. Still, she found it pretty sweet and there was this heart-warming smile on her face.


	53. Chapter 53

CHAPTER 53 (OTHERS)

People were busy passing by, some holding cups of coffee fresh from Starbucks. A child was crying as his mother held his hand, making him walk despite his stubborn protests.

"Mom, when are we getting on the plane? I've been waiting so long. Let's just stay here", he whined.

"Ssh, Perry. We'll be boarding the plane soon", his mother assured him.

"Oh fine. I guess I can still wait", he gave in and clutched his toy robot tightly.

"Well, come along now".

His mother began dragging him again. All of a sudden, he dropped his toy.

"Mom! Mom! I dropped my toy", he cried, going back.

He was about to get it when a guy picked it up. He stood about nearly six feet tall, blue eyes and short, jet-black hair. Earphones were plugged to his ears.

"Hey, you dropped this", he said as he handed the toy back to the kid.

The kid took it. "Thanks mister". He beamed at the stranger.

His mom approached and also smiled. "Thank you. Let's get going now, Perry", his mom thanked him and walked away.

The stranger smiled and hummed a tune to his self. He sat down on the seats again, waiting for his flight.

His phone suddenly rang in his pocket. He slowly took it out. He removed his earphones.

"Hello? Oh. Hi. No. The plane's not boarding yet. But I reckon it'll take off pretty soon", he said.

He paused and chuckled.

"Oh okay. I'll call you when I get there. Bye", he said and placed his phone back in his pocket. He drummed his fingers on the seat.

He began to clutch the locket that hung on his neck. He opened it.

There was a picture of Anthea in it. He smiled once again.

Finally, the plane was about to board, and passengers lined up to give out their tickets.

He got on the plane, sitting comfortably by the window. The plane took off. He gazed out of the window, looking at the clouds.

Despite looking so quiet, he really was excited to reach his destination. He's been looking forward to it for years. He's always been anxious to see one of the faces that kept him going everyday.

'Anthea, I'm coming home. I'll finally see you after all these years', he thought to himself before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. His hand was still holding his locket.

I was desperately wiggling my tongue in all sorts of directions: left, right, up, down, clockwise, counter clockwise. Jeez. How come I can't get it? I should get it. I just should.

Danny was looking at me, his face undescribable. He was trying his best to control himself from laughing.

"Anthea… You can stop you know. You don't really need to prove anything", he said to me.

I shook my head and held up my hand, signalling him to let me continue. He sighed and smiled at me.

I made my tongue move again; it was wiggling like crazy inside my mouth. I've been at this for a few minutes now. I should be able to do this now.

Finally, I got it.

I clapped my hands together and stuck out my tongue. I had a huge smile on my face. Success! I managed to do it.

Danny laughed and clapped his hands. "Congratulations! You did manage to tie it!"

After all these months, I finally managed to tie a cherry! I'm so proud. I didn't do it to prove that I'm a great kisser. I wanted to prove to Dougie that I could tie a cherry with my tongue.

He was taunting me yesterday when we were hanging out at school. He brought cherries with him, so he demonstrated to us that he could tie one. And he did.

He offered me one and dared me to tie it. I immediately took up the challenge and popped one of it into my mouth. I was so confident that I could get it.

I never knew how hard it actually was. Dougie made it look so easy.

When I couldn't tie it, he snorted loudly. Then he kept on teasing me.

I proved him wrong today though. Hah. I managed to tie the cherry, and Danny was my witness. Dougie'll eat his words.

"Well, good thing you tied that. You were working on that for so long", Danny said.

I nodded and grinned. "I know. I so proved Dougie wrong".

We laughed. Danny said that he had a blast, watching me struggle with the cherry. I decided to take that as a compliment.

Danny and I were once again at one of my favourite hang-out places of all time: The Ice Cream Monster. Yeah. I can never get enough of ice cream. I just finished a really huge banana split, and I think I was craving for more.

Oh well. I shouldn't eat too much though. I might end up gaining unwanted pounds of fat.

Hm… Maybe I could try out for a sport. I should make my body a little bit healthier. Maybe I'll try one next school year.

"You still hungry?" Danny asked me as I played with my spoon.

"Oh. No. I'm fine Danny. I'm pretty full now", I replied.

"Oh okay. You wanna stay here or do you wanna go out now?" he asked me.

I thought about this. I think that it'd be better if we roamed around for a bit.

"Okay. Let's roam around", I smiled.

He nodded and we rose from our seats. He held my hand. He opened the door for me as we went out.

"Why thank you", I told him. That was such a sweet gesture.

"My pleasure", he replied in a princely manner. He was so charming. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually turned out to be a prince someday. He definitely looked like royalty.

Today, I was going to introduce him to my parents. They were pretty happy when they found out that Danny was my boyfriend. My mom thought that he was absolutely perfect for me. Kristoph seemed pretty enthusiastic about it too. He did like Danny after all.

Well, so they did know him already. But a little greeting wouldn't hurt right? Besides, it would be nice if there was a formal meeting.

Danny seemed to like the idea as well. He was the type who wanted to assure the parents that he'd be good.

I was supposed to tell one other person, but he was too busy.

"Danny, can we go to Barnes and Nobles here? I'm in the mood for a book", I asked him.

He nodded. "Sure. Anything you want Anthea".

We walked around until we found Barnes and Nobles. I could smell the appealing (well, appealing to me) smell of fresh books. Gosh they had huge collections of wonderfully wonderful books. I could stay in a place like this for hours.

Suddenly, the phone in my pocket rang. I took it out and placed it on my ear.

"Hello?" I said.

However, all I could hear was static from the other line. I couldn't even hear the caller's voice.

"Hello?" I tried again, placing the phone even closer to my ear.

No luck. Then the line went dead. I placed it back into my pocket.

"Who was that?" Danny asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. There was only static on the other line, so I couldn't really hear anything".

Oh well. It's not like I have to worry about it. So I decided not to mind the strange phone call.

"Sorry, but the person you are calling cannot be reached. Please try again", a woman's voice came out of the cell phone.

The guy placed it back in his pocket. "Jeez. What a bummer".

He was already at the airport, dragging along his luggage with him. He just arrived.

He tried to call Anthea, but there was no such luck. 'There must be no signal here. I should find a better reception', he thought as he walked around.

He passed through the small crowd in the airport and made his way through it. He was anxious to get out of the vicinity.

As he got out, he called for a taxi. When one came by, he immediately got it.

'Hm… Where should I go first? I am pretty hungry', he thought.

"Where to?" the driver asked him.

"Ah. Just take me to the mall… over there", he said pointing at one mall. "Sorry. I don't know the name".

The taxi driver chuckled. "It's okay. You new around here?"

He nodded. "Sort of. I've only been here a few times. And my last visit was years ago".

A lot has changed since he last visited, he observed. New infrastructures, more population, more foreigners. Despite the changes, he hoped that Anthea was still the same sweet girl that he grew to love.

As they arrived at the mall, he paid and thanked the driver and decided to get a snack.

He roamed around for a bit, trying to familiarize himself with the new surroundings.

Suddenly, a group of blond and Mexican girls were batting their eyelashes at him, trying to get his attention. One was even bold enough to wave at him.

He ignored them and continued walking, rolling his eyes.

"Pathetic", he muttered.

A couple passed by him, both were blond. The boy had spiky hair at the back of his head while the girl had straight long hair.

"Dougie, you still hungry?" the girl asked her partner.

"Nope Jessica. I'm fine", the guy called Dougie replied.

"Hm… Danny and Anthea are on a date here too right?" Jessica asked.

This was all it took for the guy to freeze in his tracks.

'What?!? Anthea's dating someone?? Who's this… Danny??' he thought, absolutely surprised.

Dougie and Jessica had already passed by, still talking about Danny and Anthea.

'Okaay. Calm down. It might be another Anthea here. There are so many Antheas in the world", he thought.

Then again, it might be this certain Anthea. So he decided to follow Dougie and Jessica for a bit until he gets a confirmation.

He walked behind them, just a few inches away. It was enough for him to hear what they were talking about.

"Aw… They look very sweet, don't they?" Jessica gushed.

Dougie nodded. "Yup. Jones and Stewart do make a good couple".

The guy went numb, but managed to get a grip on himself. 'Calm down… Her name might be Anthea Jones, not Anthea Stewart'.

"Yeah. Danny Jones plus Anthea Stewart equals heart", Jessica giggled.

"I know. It's good to see them together", Dougie added.

This was enough. It really was true. Anthea was dating a guy named Danny.

The guy decided to stop following them now. He'd heard enough.

He decided to go to a restaurant and cool down a bit there.

"Danny, huh? Pfft. Danny, whoever you are, you'd better watch out", he muttered angrily.

Danny suddenly sneezed. I laughed and handed him a pack of tissue.

"Thank you", Danny sniffed.

"Sure thing", I replied.

I looked at the enormous stacks of books in front of me. There was so much to choose from.

I scanned each author of each book: Mitch Albom, Fern Michaels, Agatha Christie, Anne Rice, Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux, Sidney Sheldon, Nicholas Sparks, and a lot more. I wanted to buy one, I really did. But I've already read so much of their books. I was craving for a new author, someone whose works I haven't read yet.

"You having trouble choosing an author?" Danny asked me.

I nodded. "Yup. I've already read all of these books".

He began scanning the shelf as well. He pulled out one book. "Why don't you try this?"

He gave the book to me. I read the title: Artemis Fowl.

"That's a very nice book you know. It's one of my faves", he commented. He did sound that he loved it.

I checked the summary of the book at the back. Hm… it did sound pretty good.

I decided to buy it. We bought it and I was very satisfied with my choice. I had such a great day.

I didn't know that a bigger surprise was waiting for me back at home.

We decided to head back since Pamela was preparing this little party for us. She wanted Danny's introduction to be cool, so she threw a party to make a good impression on my parents. She didn't need to though. My parents thought that Danny was spectacular.

We took a taxi and arrived at home. I opened the door to my house and found Tom. Dougie, Harry, Evangeline, Nicole, Pamela and Jessica inside. They were all sitting on the couch and eating cake.

"Good you're not late", Pamela smiled at us.

"I know", I grinned back at her.

I looked at Jenny. She seemed to be the only one who didn't look happy. I wondered what happened.

I decided to ask her later on.

My mom and dad finally emerged from the kitchen.

"Hey honey!" my mom greeted me warmly.

I went over to them and hugged them. I held their hands as we walked towards Danny.

"Mom… Dad… This is Danny, my boyfriend", I introduced Danny to them.

"Danny, nice to meet you. It's wonderful that you're the one dating our daughter", my mom beamed at him.

"I've heard a lot about you. I'm sure you can take care of our little girl", my dad smiled.

Danny smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Of course I'll take care of her".

I was beaming. I'm glad that they approve of him. They handed us cake and we sat down.

"I guess I have no problem with your family", Danny grinned.

I chuckled. "I'm glad, really".

I was happy. Everything seemed so perfect.

There was suddenly a knock on the door. I got up to answer it.

The knocking became more rapid and harder. Okay. Sheesh. I'm coming.

I opened it and got the shock of my life.

A guy with short jet-black hair, blue eyes and stood about six feet tall was smiling at me.

"Jacob!!!" I squealed and jumped at him, hugging him tightly.

Oh my gosh! Jacob came!! After all these years!! How did this happen?? I was so shocked. This was so unexpected. Tears were streaming down my cheeks.

"Hey Anthea. I'm glad I got to see you. Aw… Don't cry now", he said gently as he hugged me tightly.

I was still sobbing a bit. I've missed Jacob so much.

"Jacob! You're here!" my mom squealed as well as she ran to hug him.

"Hey mom", he said after she hugged him.

"Hey dad", he waved to my dad.

"Hey son", my father replied, smiling.

"You never told us you were coming!" my mom exclaimed as she slapped his shoulder.

"Ow!" Jacob cried and chuckled. "Sorry. I wanted to surprise you guys".

I chuckled. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here big bro".

He kissed my cheek. "Me too sis".

"Oh by the way, Jacob. These are my friends Tom. Dougie, Harry, Evangeline, Nicole, Pamela and Jessica", I said as I introduced them to him. They all smiled and waved at him.

He beamed and waved back. "Nice to meet you guys".

"Oh. And this is Danny. He's my boyfriend", I said as I pointed to Danny.

For some strange reason, his enthusiasm drained away the moment he saw Danny. I could see him clench one fist. He looked… Angry even.

"Hi… Danny", he said, a little icily.

Danny seemed to notice his cold greeting, but he still grinned. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

Jacob cleared his throat. "Um… Mom… I'll be in my room for a while. Bye", he said and went upstairs.

"Okay dear", my mom replied, a bit puzzled.

I sat down on the couch with Danny once again. I sighed.

"Sorry about my brother. He acts like that sometimes", I apologized.

He pecked my cheek gently. "Don't worry. I understand. I'll do my best though to make him like me".

"I'll help you. Don't worry. Jacob's a sweet guy".

"I know. Things'll be fine. We'll worry about that later".

After that, his lips gently pressed against mine for a few seconds. When that ended, I placed my head on his shoulder. He was right. We'll worry about Jacob later. I just hoped that Jacob wasn't so stubborn.

"Anthea, I love you", Danny smiled at me.

I began to smile too. "I love you too Danny".

Oh well. Better focus on the positive side of things now. I've got Danny with me, haven't I? There's no reason for me to feel awful. So…

No worries.

---------------------END OF ALL ABOUT YOU PART 1-------------------------------


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